Road To Redemption
by TVfan
Summary: Left human by the Mage, Demona is forced on a journey to restore her gargoyle form. It starts with dealing others dealing in the dark of night to gain an idea of what to do. (Angel/Buffy characters only appear in chapter 1) Another new villain (Khan) is also mentioned (Old fic transferred from the Gargoyles Fan Website because I forgot my password there. There my pen-name is SN.)
1. Demona's Journey

All the characters appearing in Gargoyles and Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles are copyright Buena Vista Television/The Walt Disney Company. Characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel are the property of Warner Bros. and created by Joss Whedon. All characters are being used without permission of their creators. No infringement of these copyrights is intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder. All original characters are the property of SN.

Note: I'm disregarding the events in the "Goliath Chronicles", with the exception of "The Journey" because I do not wish to use the rest of the "Goliath Chronicles" as canon to my story. This story takes place immediately after "Demonic Interlude." This story also ignores the continuality in the Buffy/Angel universe. The events in Angel's 5th and Buffy's Final Season have already occurred in this story.

Demona's Journey

By SN/TVfan

Email: Sam_Nary

**Los Angeles**

Demona walked quietly and nervously through the busy streets of the southern California city known as Los Angeles. Walking with her was a trio of women, each with a different hair color. One black, one a sort of golden color, and one that was silvery white.

"Why are we here?" Demona asked, "You told me, before you vanished last time, that I need to use a non-Latin based light magic before I can be a gargoyle again. You also told me that Latin based magic is practiced in United States and Canada. Last time I checked, Los Angeles was a city in the United States."

"True," Selene answered, "But that doesn't mean that dark magic can't help you."

"We merely said that dark magic was more dangerous," Luna added.

"There are people here that are well versed in dark magic," Phoebe continued.

"They can help you find out which forms of dark magic are safe to try and which forms are too dangerous," the Sisters then said in unison.

"An investigative agency is involved in black magic?" Demona questioned skeptically.

"Yes," the Sisters answered in unison.

"This I must see," Demona chuckled to herself.

**Wolfram and Hart**

Angel stood quietly, trying to hide an obvious jealousy, as he watched the one woman he truly loved, Buffy Summers, kiss the recently resolidified vampire known only as Spike.

"I can't believe you're alive," Buffy said quietly.

"Believe it, luv," Spike smirked, "Angel here's done all the work though."

Buffy turned her head to look at Angel.

"We still don't know exactly how Spike came back," Angel replied, "All we know is that he's come back to life."

Suddenly a phone began ringing from a side office. Wesley went to answer it.

"Hello, Angel Investigations and Wolfram and Hart, how may I help you?" Wesley said.

"This is Angel Investigations, correct?" a voice on the other side said.

"Yes," Wesley answered, "How may I help you?"

"I need your help," the voice said again.

Wesley returned to the main office about five minutes later.

"Excuse me," Wesley announced, "I'm sorry to interrupt the merry-making, but, um, Angel we have a case."

"A case?" Angel asked skeptically.

"Yes," Wesley answered, "A woman just called. She said she requires the assistance of Angel Investigations and will be here in an hour."

Angel turned his head to Buffy, and asked, "Would you and the others care to join us? These things tend to get out of hand."

Buffy shrugged, "I guess so. Willow and Giles aren't back yet from their search to find the new slayers in the world and their mission to get the new Watcher's Council on track. Faith is watching Dawn. Everything should be safe."

**Abandoned Warehouse**

Drusilla slowly opened her eyes, having just received a new vision.

"The Demon of the Night as arrived," the insane vampire said, "In pain she is."

Drusilla then smiled, "I will make her better."

**Wolfram and Hart**

Demona and the Weird Sisters were greeted by a rather business-like Englishmen.

"Hello, ma'am, I'm Mr. Wesley Wyndam-Pryce," the man said, "If you'll follow me, please."

Demona quietly agreed and followed Wesley. The Sisters followed her. He eventually led her to a room with a long table in it. The room's floor plan was relatively similar to one of the conference rooms she had at Nightstone. Seated at one end of the table was a man with brown hair and a rather muscular figure. There was something about this man that Demona seemed to recognize, but she put it aside for a few moments. Setting immediately to his right was a blonde woman and a man with bleached blonde hair. Then there was another man with dark hair, an African American man with a shaved head, a woman with brown hair, a green skinned creature with red eyes and horns, and the man, Wesley, took a seat to the right of the green skinned creature.

"Hello, my name is Angel," Angel greeted, "May I offer you a seat, Miss…"

"Destine, Dominique Destine," Demona said slowly, "And it's Ms. Destine to you."

"Touchy," the dark haired man said.

"Xander…" the blonde woman said slowly, looking at the dark haired man.

Demona took her seat and motioned for the Sisters to do the same.

"These are my associates, Luna, Selene, and Phoebe Avalonis," Demona said.

"Triplets?" Xander asked with rather leering eyes.

"Xander, do you want me to put out your other eye?" the blonde woman asked, "Try being polite here."

"Sorry," Xander sighed defensively.

"Yes, we are sisters," the Sisters answered in unison.

"Whom may I ask are your associates here?" Demona asked.

Angel paused for a moment; something about this woman's voice was vaguely familiar. Almost hauntingly so.

Angel then gestured to the people sitting to his right, "These are Buffy Summers, Spike, Xander Harris, Charles Gunn, Fred, Lorne, and you've already met Wesley."

Demona paused and looked at Spike, "Your name is 'Spike'?"

"What of it?" Spike growled defensively.

"It is a… interesting name," Demona responded, and she then turned to Fred, "And your name is Fred? What is it short for?"

"Winifred," Fred answered, "Please just call me Fred."

"May I ask why you our help, Ms. Destine?" Angel asked.

"Wait a minute," Buffy interrupted, "You said your name is Dominique Destine? Aren't you the CEO of Nightstone Unlimited?"

"I am taking a brief break from my responsibilities with the company," Demona answered, "Now, I'm to understand that you are involved in things that are not exactly considered 'normal'?"

"Yes," Angel answered.

"Do you know about Manhattan's gargoyles?" Demona asked.

"Gargoyles? You mean like those waterspouts on buildings?" Xander interrupted.

"No, the creatures of myth," Demona corrected angrily.

"Not extensively," Angel answered.

"Well you see, I'm supposed to be one of them," Demona continued.

All eyes, except for those of the Weird Sisters then focused on her.

"How is it that you're human?" Gunn asked.

"Do you know of a wizard known only as the Mage?" Demona questioned.

Wesley's eyes widened, "Yes. An evil wizard supposed to have existed since Roman times and is extremely powerful in magical arts. He could make Dark Willow look like an amateur with the power he throws around."

Buffy winced at the mention of Dark Willow. The slayer and her group of 'scoobies' still bore emotional or physical scars from the events surrounding Tara's death.

"The Mage in his efforts to rid the world of all who would oppose him stripped me of my gargoylehood," Demona continued, "I now seek to regain my true form."

"How can you be a gargoyle and be a corporate CEO at the same time?" Fred asked.

"In an effort to make better relations between my kind and yours I asking a being of great power to allow me to be human during the day," Demona answered.

"We need to find the Mage," Wesley announced, "He is dangerous. The Watcher's Council's old files indicate that mythically, gargoyles should be humanity's allies against demons. The Mage has killed more humans than all demons, vampires, werewolves, and other assorted monsters combined. Now he has wronged one of the few creatures that would help humanity. He must be stopped before he does anything worse."

"He'd probably also know how to reverse the spell he cast," Buffy offered, "Where would we find this 'Mage'?"

"Finding the Mage is irrelevant," Demona said quietly.

"What? You just said he was the wizard that cursed you," Spike argued, "I'd want some payback if I were you."

"I have already received my vengeance for the Mage's actions," Demona replied, "The Mage was killed by my clan."

Demona glanced over to see Wesley breathe a sigh of relief.

"If the Mage is dead, there is only one being that I can think of that might be able to help you, Ms. Destine," Angel said, "But I'd advice not making contact with her."

Demona decided to play ignorant, "What? What do you mean?"

"Well," Angel began, "The only gargoyle that I know of that lives in Manhattan is named Demona. She is not one to be trusted."

"How so?" Demona asked, "Tell me about this 'Demona'."

"Well, for one thing, she hate humanity for a reason that I've never known," Angel answered, "The only way you would have a chance of her helping you would if you could prove to her that you are truly a gargoyle the instant you meet her."

"How do you know this?" Demona asked curiously.

"I've met her," Angel answered.

**London, 1779**

Angelus quietly led an unsuspecting woman down one of London's abandoned back alleys.

"Are you sure this way is shorter than on the streets?" the woman asked.

Angelus looked over his shoulder to check for any possible intruders or policemen, and saw none. He then turned to the woman and grabbed her firmly by the shoulders.

"It is shorter," Angelus began, revealing who and what he truly was, "But not safer."

Before Angelus could sink his fangs into the woman's neck, he heard something that sounded like a bat's wings fly over him. He looked up onto the roof of one of the buildings that made up the alley way to see what looked like a demon. Azure blue skin, pterodactyl like wings growing from its back, a tail, talons, and two glowing red eyes.

"This world keeps getting weirder," Angelus chuckled, and then quickly guzzled down the woman's blood before this new demon could either stop him or steal his dinner from him.

When Angelus had finished feeding, he looked up to see that the creature was gone. The vampire only shrugged and dropped the woman where he killed her and continued up the alley.

Darla noticed the puzzled look that was on Angelus's face when the vampire returned to their hideout for the day.

"Nothing good to eat?" Darla asked.

"No, there are still lots of humans out there to feed on," Angelus answered, "But there is apparently some strange new demon out there as well."

"A new one?" Darla asked.

"Yes," Angelus nodded, "We must contact her. Perhaps she can help us spread terror mayhem and destruction and kill any slayer we come across."

Darla smiled, "You must meet her first."

"And that will be difficult," Angelus sighed, "This demon has wings."

**The Next Night**

Demona awoke from her stone sleep above London's public library. Her own mind was puzzled by what she saw the night before. A human had killed and drank the blood of a human. In all her years Demona had never seen humans do this.

"Could this be what they referred to at Wyvern as 'vampires'?" Demona questioned to herself, "No matter, he is human in form, and apparently powerful. He must die."

Demona then leaped from the library and began to glide over London in search of the mystery attacker. She didn't have to search long. She soon found the same man leading another woman down a dark alley. The woman looked like she was from the poorer classes.

"I say again, sir, I have no idea what you're talking about," the woman said, "I've never seen any demons."

The man paused and then looked up. Demona knew that he had spotted her and was then shocked to see that the man was smiling. Demona then did nothing as the man snapped the neck of the woman he was escorting with his fists.

"Come down here," Angelus called to Demona.

Demona silently growled but leaped from the roof, and used her wings as parachutes to make a soft landing in the filthy alley.

"I knew I'd find you again," Angelus smirked, "All I have to do is lead an innocent victim to his or her doom."

"You are epitome of everything that is wrong with the human race," Demona growled, "I ought to kill you myself. Why were you looking for me?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Angelus asked, "I'm a vampire, you're a demon. We'd make quite a team."

"I am a gargoyle," Demona growled, her eyes glowing red, "And from what I understand there isn't much that separates vampires from humans. Give me one good reason why I shouldn't kill you?"

"Partnership," Angelus offered, "Vampires can't summon apocalypses to get rid of all humans without help. Preferably a demon or … gargoyle apparently, but evil humans and witches will work too."

"Don't you feed off of humans?" Demona countered, "What do you have to gain by wiping them out?"

Angelus smiled, "The fun of it."

"I have no wish to partner with a vampire," Demona growled, "However, since it appears that you seek humanity's destruction I guess I shouldn't stop you. But if you seek me out again, I will kill you."

Darla had just finished feeding off a young teenager when Angelus returned to their lair. She saw right away that he was in a bad mood.

"Don't ask," Angelus growled.

**Present**

Demona positively gasped as realization suddenly hit her. The leader of Angel Investigations, Angel, was the vampire Angelus that she had met in a London back alley. She had learned much since that encounter about these creatures of the night. She studied partially to try and build up a possible argument to differentiate gargoyles from the demon world, and to prepare to eliminate these creatures once her plans for humanity were complete.

The most prominent thing she had learned about vampires is that they didn't have a soul. Yet a magical 'sixth sense' that she had gained as a result of the Mage's tutelage told her that everyone here HAD a soul.

"This Demona doesn't exactly sound like the type of character my clan would like to associate with," Demona remarked, feeling it was best to keep things hidden for now.

"She wouldn't be," Angel answered, "We'll need to study this for now. Do you have a number we can reach you at Ms. Destine?"

"Yes," Demona answered taking a slip of paper from her pocket, and then scribbling a cell phone number on it with a nearby pen.

She handed it politely to Angel and turned to leave, as she reached the door she turned and said, "I will remain in the area. Let me know when you have anything."

Buffy turned to Angel as Dominique Destine and her associates left.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Buffy muttered.

"Tell me about it," Angel sighed.

**Streets of Los Angeles**

Two vampires quietly followed Demona and the Weird Sisters as they walked down the street. They were careful not to be seen, and even more careful not to be found Angel's crew.

"Shouldn't we just jump her?" one vampire asked.

"Attack a powerful gargoyle sorceress that's currently pissed about being trapped in a human form?" the vampire retorted, "Are you brain dead? We're supposed to trail her. Drusilla will arrange her kidnapping later."

**Demona's Hotel Room**

"He's a vampire!" Demona yelled, "You've got me working with a vampire!"

"So?" the Sisters replied.

"So?" Demona growled, "What do you mean 'so'? I assumed you want me to try and side with humans from now on! Why do you have me partnering with a vampire? They are even more evil than I was!"

"That is questionable, in our opinion," Phoebe said.

"Besides," Luna added, "Angel and Spike have had their souls restored. You should know that."

"How can they have a soul?" Demona yelled again, "Vampires don't have souls!"

"These two do," Selene countered, "And the fact that they are vampires is irrelevant. What matters is that they agreed to help you."

"You are still immortal by our spell," Phoebe added, "You have no fear of being killed and or sired by any vampire."

"That doesn't mean I have to trust them," Demona snarled.

"You have to trust someone, Demona," Luna answered.

"You have long betrayed your clan's trust," Selene said, "And they will not help."

"Will you now risk betraying two souled vampires and their supporting humans who trust you enough to be willing to help?"

Demona paused for a moment, thinking about her conversations with the clan while she was in Wyvern's dungeon. Goliath and his quest for peaceful coexistence. Demona had always thought it would be doomed to failure. Yet, the Quarrymen, Xanatos, the Pack, even herself had been unable to defeat and kill them all. Now Xanatos had allied with the clan and she had discovered she had a daughter. Flesh and blood.

"Is it right to demand justice for those who do wrong?" Demona asked herself.

"No," the Sisters answered in unison, "But it is wrong to demand outright genocide for an entire race because one person does something wrong. If it where, while you would be right, keep in mind, that would also make Jon Canmore, and every Hunter before him, right as well."

"Don't read my mind," Demona growled.

"We must if your destiny is to be fulfilled," the Sisters answered.

"We make our own destiny," Demona retorted.

"That remains to be seen," Luna said, as the Sisters faded away again.

Shortly after the Weird Sisters vanished, leaving Demona alone in her room, there was a quiet knock on the door. Standing in the doorway was a dark haired woman with a fairly pale complexion for southern California.

"Yes?" Demona asked.

"I need to speak with you, I work for Angel," Drusilla said, "May I come in?"

"Sure," Demona sighed, "How did he find anything so quickly?"

"Actually," Drusilla smiled as she stepped up behind Demona, "He didn't!"

Demona turned to see the insane vampire punch her directly in the face. Lacking the strength of a gargoyle, the blow sent her flying backward into the bed frame. Demona rolled as Drusilla dived at her, and quickly pointed her arms at the vampire.

Demona began to chant in Latin, but was surprised to see nothing happen.

"Little magic birds block Demon of the Night's powers?" Drusilla smiled.

Demona leaned away, seemingly terrified for the first time in her life.

"Don't worry," Drusilla then added, as she backhanded Demona, knocking the immortal gargoyle-now human-sorceress unconscious, "Mummy will make it better."

**Los Angeles Airport**

Buffy sat quietly in one of the airline terminals. Willow and Giles's plane was more than an hour late, and Buffy was getting board.

"Come on, they'll be okay," Xander said, "Stop pacing. You'll wear the rug out."

"It's not them I'm worried about," Buffy answered.

"This doesn't happen to concern a corporate CEO/gargoyle, would it?" Xander asked.

"I don't know, she just seemed to be giving off some really creepy vibes if you know what I mean," Buffy answered, "Something is telling me she didn't tell the whole truth about who she is and how she got like this."

"Don't worry, I'm sure you and Angel's crew will figure everything out," Xander said confidently.

"I'll still feel better when I have Willow and Giles here to help," Buffy answered, "They seem to know more about these things. They've been to England an all. This is the farthest I've ever gone."

"You've gone no further than LA?" Xander joked.

"Not all of us had a car that broke down every three miles to drive to the desert with," Buffy joked back.

**Wolfram and Hart**

Wesley sat in the conference room with a mountain of different books piled in front of him.

"Any luck?" came a voice behind him.

Wesley turned to see Angel standing in the doorway.

"I'm afraid not," Wesley sighed, "There is little written on the Mage in these texts. Much of what is written is repetitive. There is nothing in here about the nature of his magic other than that it is different from the types of magic that we are most familiar with."

"How so?" Angel asked.

"The spells that vampires and demons can manipulate is what is popularly called black magic," Wesley answered, "It can be cast in almost any written language and can give the user almost unforeseen power, but comes with a disastrously heavy price. These books only say that the type of magic that the Mage used was the opposite of that. And that's all it says. I'd need either more information about how the Mage's magic works or the nature of the spell that he cast on Ms. Destine itself. Something that none of these texts have."

"How about finding out more information about Ms. Destine, herself?" Angel asked, "There is something about her voice that I find sort of familiar."

"She is almost as mysterious as the Mage," Wesley answered, "I tried calling Nightstone's offices for a possible background check, but it appears that the company is battling it out with Xanatos Enterprises and couldn't be bothered. I've also checked old news reports that Wolfram and Hart have kept on file. You wouldn't believe how many news reports from New York these guys have."

Before Angel could ask, Wesley walked to the other end of the conference table and picked up a pile of tapes.

"What are these?" Angel asked.

"News reports from WRVN," Wesley answered, "They cover everything from Nightstone and Dominique Destine to the gargoyles that are supposedly living there. But they haven't caught a gargoyle on film yet."

"You want me to watch these?" Angel asked.

"It couldn't hurt," Wesley sighed, "Gunn and Fred couldn't make heads or tails of them. Although they did remark that every image of Dominique Destine was done during the daily light hours with the exception of a few Halloween costume parties."

Angel only looked back at him and sighed, "I'll get these back to you as soon as I can."

Angel then left Wesley to his work. As he headed toward his office, he saw Spike coming out of another office, with a coffee mug in hand.

"Whatcha got there? Late night movies?" Spike asked in a teasing voice.

"No, these are news reports from New York," Angel answered.

"Still trying to figure out WHO Ms. Destine is?" Spike asked.

"Yes, and if you don't want to help, then stay out of the way, Spike," Angel said slowly and walked by.

Spike only growled silently and walked down the hall.

It seemed to take forever for Angel to get through all of the news reports. They included everything from the reported bombing of a NYPD precinct clock tower and the activities of a group called the Quarrymen, to the business affairs of Nightstone Unlimited and Xanatos Enterprises. However, it was a report on a charity Halloween costume party that caught Angel's eyes the most.

The screen showed a rather uptight looking woman in what appeared to be a "wonder-woman" costume, standing at a podium. A dark shadow stood several feet behind her.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen," the woman on the screen said, "My I introduce the woman who has funded this little party, Dominique Destine!"

Angel watched the screen as the woman in costume stepped aside and the shadow behind her came forward. As the shadow came into the light, Angel nearly fell out of his chair when he saw the gargoyle on the screen. Azure blue skin, flaming red hair, golden tiara, arm band, and anklet, tattered loin cloth and halter top, two pterodactyl like wings, and two glowing red eyes.

"That isn't a costume!" Angel exclaimed.

Wesley practically fell out of his chair as Angel rushed in.

"Are you still looking for more information on Dominique Destine?" Angel asked in a rushed voice.

"Yes, why?" Wesley asked back.

"Have you found anything new?" Angel asked.

"No," Wesley answered.

"Try looking under her first name," Angel said slowly, "Try looking under the name 'DEMONA'!"

**Abandoned Warehouse**

Demona woke up slowly. Standing in front of her was the vampire that had attacked her earlier. She also noted several different vampires walking around different corners of the room. She tried to get up, but found herself tied down by heavy iron chains.

"How did the Demon of the Night become human?" Drusilla asked.

"My name is Demona," Demona growled, and then adding to herself, "I haven't had a title like that in years."

Demona struggled against the chains for a few seconds before finally given up. She still could not feel her powers. She was helpless and at the mercy of a vampire. A light in her mind suddenly clicked as she remembered a similar incident.

'Is this how you welcome all your guests?'

'Any who might turn on me. And you're not a guest. You serve the human, and now you can serve me.

'Serving humans is fun. They have a sense of humor. You have none.'

'Perhaps not, Puck, but I have you.'

"What do you want from me, vampire?" Demona demanded.

"Little bird has great power in the arts of magic," Drusilla answered.

"And the vampire has a very little brain," Demona interrupted.

Drusilla only growled at her captive, "Demon of the Night will help restore my Angel."

"You want me to remove Angel's soul?" Demona asked skeptically.

"Demon of the Night is smart," Drusilla noted, "Mummy is willing to help Demon of the Night restore herself."

"The 'Demon of the Night' doesn't work with vampires," Demona growled.

"If you want your freedom, you will," Drusilla retorted.

**Wolfram and Hart, Two Hours Later**

"Anyway, as I was saying, this woman is giving off major bad guy vibes," Buffy said as she opened the door, letting Giles and Willow in, "I think we could really use your help on this."

"Well, we'll do whatever we can," Giles said, "But I'm afraid there isn't much that we can do."

Buffy, Willow, Xander, and Giles walked into an office in chaos.

"What's going on?" Willow asked.

"Angel's figured out WHO Dominique Destine is," Gunn answered as he hurried into a room.

Buffy and the others shrugged and followed Gunn in. Angel stood at the head of the table, with Wesley standing nearby.

"Giles," Angel began.

"Yes," Giles answered, "Buffy thought that Willow and I would be needed to help."

Angel nodded, "Well, since we're all here it's time to get down to business."

The group took a seat.

"I've looked over the news footage from New York, and I've determined that Dominique Destine is really the gargoyle known as Demona," Angel stated.

Giles eyes widened, "Demona?"

"Yes," Angel answered.

"What's going on?" Willow asked, "I thought you were looking for a way to return Dominique Destine to what she truly was, not discover who she truly was."

"You can't be too careful," Gunn said, "From what Angel told us earlier about the true nature of Demona, it's a good thing we decided to a background check. Send Ms. Destine a note that says we don't help demons."

"I with you," Xander agreed.

"Technically, Demona is only a Demon in name," Angel answered, "She is a gargoyle."

"She wants to kill humans," Gunn argued, "No difference. She stays human and therefore she doesn't kill off humans."

"If I may," Wesley interrupted, "The behavior that Ms. … Demona exhibited earlier was not one of someone trying to wipe out humanity. From what I've read in Wolfram and Hart's collection of resources on Demona, is that the gargoyle has a deeply troubled past."

"What happened to cause a certain outcome is irrelevant," Gunn argued, "We all make choices. She chose the wrong ones. I'll bet she even agreed to help the Mage and got burned."

"She came to us for help," Angel retorted, "If she were seeking to use us, we would not be here discussing it. I told you that I've met Demona. She is a very direct… gargoyle. If she wants to enslave you, she will come and enslave you. I don't think this is a situation were we can afford to not help her. I would like to talk with her myself."

"Do so on your own time," Gunn said, "I ain't gonna work to give a genocidal maniac her ability to wipe out humanity."

"I'm with you," Xander agreed.

Before anyone could do anything, Xander and Gunn walked out.

"I was afraid this would happen," Angel sighed, "Anyway, we need to keep working on trying to find some cure for her."

Angel was about to say more when a brilliant flash of light filled the room and Xander and Gunn were teleported onto the floor of the conference room. When the light died down, the Weird Sisters remained.

"What are you doing here?" Angel asked in surprise, "Aren't you supposed to be with Ms. Destine?"

"We are required to be where we are required to be," Luna answered.

"We are the Sisters three," Selene added.

"A warning we must give to ye!" Phoebe finished.

"Did anyone just fall into a weird Shakespeare place?" Willow asked.

"Shakespeare mentions us yes," Selene answered.

"You have our names, but the three of us are known by a different name," Phoebe added.

"We are the Weird Sisters, servants of King Oberon and Queen Titania," Luna finished.

"What warning do you have?" Spike asked from a corner of the room.

The Sisters then created a spell that created a magical equivalent of a hologram showing Drusilla's face.

"This being holds the subject of your argument prisoner as we speak," Phoebe said.

"You have the choice to save her," Phoebe added, "Or leave her and curse humanity."

"In accordance with Oberon's Law, we can not interfere," Luna finished.

The Weird Sisters then vanished once more. Everyone that remained was in a state of shock.

"Drusilla's captured Demona," Angel said slowly.

"We must rescue her then," Buffy said, "Even if she is an evil gargoyle, leaving her with Drusilla is dangerous."

"You'll need a plan first," Giles pointed out.

**Abandoned Warehouse**

Demona watched the insane vampire pace in front of her for what seemed like ages.

"Why won't Demon of the Night help?" Drusilla asked, "I offered a fair deal."

"You're evil," Demona answered.

"The same can be said of Demon of the Night," Drusilla answered back, "I will free you if you help me."

Demona silently pondered the vampire's offer. She did want to be a gargoyle again. Part of her mind did want to see humanity pay for their crimes against gargoyles. But at the same time, she remembered her conversations with the clan while she was in Wyvern's dungeon. Elisa's comments on 'death is death' and 'all must be mourned equally' rang in her ears. If her studies were correct, this vampire would destroy humanity for, as Angelus once said to her, the 'fun of it'. Demona decided that even if she weren't questioning her original mission in life, aiding this vampire to eradicate humanity for 'kicks' was not the type of campaign she wanted.

"Go to hell," Demona growled.

Outside the warehouse, Angel, Gunn, Xander, Willow, Spike, and Giles hid behind a dumpster across the street. Buffy came running back from the warehouse's direction.

"Drusilla's holding her there," Buffy reported, "And Ms. Destine doesn't look too pleased at being held prisoner."

"So she's not thinking on partnering with Dru?" Spike asked.

"Not from the looks of it," Buffy answered.

"So what do we do?" Xander asked, "Charge in?"

"This is one of the few times when that would work," Angel answered, "Demona is immortal. Drusilla can't simply kill her."

Drusilla back handed Demona again as the immortal gargoyle-turned human remain trapped in chains.

"If you won't help me, Demon of the Night," Drusilla said, "Then I will beat it out of you."

Demona only growled at the vampire. Drusilla was about to dish out more physical abuse when one of Drusilla's lackeys came running up.

"It's Angel and the Slayer!" the vampire screamed in a hurried voice, "They're attacking. They got a witch with them."

Demona silently sighed with relief as the messenger delivered his report. People where coming to help her.

"Get everyone you can find and stop them!" Drusilla yelled, "Demon of the Night won't listen to reason."

The vampire ran off with a great amount of nervousness and gave yelling commands to others scattered throughout the warehouse. Demona smiled as she watched these demons rush off into battle in utter confusion.

"What amuses the Demon of the Night?" Drusilla asked.

"Your confusion," Demona answered smugly, "You don't know HOW many are attacking you and yet you rush off to fight them. Though I am entirely thankful for it. It means that I'm saved."

Drusilla grabbed her captive by the throat and lifted her into the air, "That doesn't mean I can't escape with you."

"You'd abandon your own side just to accomplish whatever insane goal you have?" Demona demanded, "Not exactly the most honorable thing to do."

Drusilla didn't answer while Demona secretly realized that she'd just used a similar argument that the clan had used against her during her various schemes.

"Vampires are not supposed to be honorable," Drusilla said finally, "We're supposed to be evil."

Demona watched Drusilla for a second, but the sound of a great crash distracted her. She turned her head to see that the door at the far end of the warehouse had been shattered. The blonde girl, Buffy, led a group of people in a charge into the warehouse. Many of the vampires there dived at her or tried other various martial arts type moves, but none of them succeeded. Demona watched Buffy slam a wooden stake into the chest of each attacker. Other members of the group drove other vampires away with similar weapons or crucifixes.

"You've lost," Demona sneered.

"I can still hold you hostage," Drusilla growled, and pulled Demona in front of her.

Demona struggled as best she could against the vampire's grasp, but accomplished nothing. Drusilla was backing away slowly, still as yet, unnoticed. Suddenly a redhead in the group saw the vampire and her hostage. Demona watched the girl raise an arm up and begin to chant something, but she was too far away to hear what the girl is saying. Suddenly a blast of green energy shot out of the girls hand and then wrapped itself around both Demona and Drusilla. Demona was knocked to the ground, while Drusilla was thrown through one the warehouses walls.

Angel arrived first to remove the chains from Demona.

"Are you alright…Demona?" Angel asked.

"So, you figured out WHO I really am?" Demona mused.

"We had to," Gunn said stepping forward, "You didn't tell us everything. I quite frankly say we imprison you now and start looking for a way to kill you."

"We can't do that," Angel argued.

"Sure we can," Gunn retorted, "Just because we've saved her from Drusilla doesn't mean that she's still a genocidal maniac. We HAVE to kill her, somehow."

Demona brought herself to her feet shakily, "Thank you for saving me. If you're going to ask why I didn't come straight forward with the truth, I think you have your answer there with your friend. And Gunn, you may already know this, but you are working for a souled-vampire. At one point he was just as evil as you accuse me of being."

Gunn only growled at her.

"What about the stuff with the Mage?" Angel asked, "Was that true?"

"Yes," Demona answered, "The Mage cursed me to live in this human form. Right now, all I seek is to return to what I truly am. If you are worried about my opinion of humans… My past concerns of them are currently…in question. All I'm focusing on is finding the right spell or spell caster to become a gargoyle again."

"Try Africa," Spike offered.

Demona turned her head to the other souled-vampire of the group, "What?"

"There's this cave in Africa where a very powerful demon lives," Spike answered, "He might have the power to restore your gargoyle form."

"How do you know?" Demona asked.

"Because he's the one that restored my soul," Spike answered.

"Did you ever get his name?" Buffy asked.

Spike shook his head, "No, he sort of, felt me coming. He should feel her coming too."

"Why didn't you mention this earlier?" Angel asked.

"Slipped my mind," Spike answered as he placed a hand on Buffy's shoulder.

Demona suddenly felt her powers return to her. The spell the Weird Sisters had cast had worn off.

"I do not truly know what to think of humans, anymore," Demona began, and then gesturing to the group before her "But I can assure you that you are decent and honorable."

After saying that, Demona slowly disappeared and a series of one hundred dollar bills dropped at Angel's feet. As he picked up the money he read a small note card attached to bills. It read 'keep the change'.

**Eastbound Airline**

Demona sat quietly in a cramped couch seat on a non-stop flight to Africa. The Weird Sisters had reappeared. Thankfully for Demona, they were the ones in the other three seats next to her.

"I don't suppose you three will tell me why you made it impossible for me to access my powers?" Demona asked, "I could have easily dealt with that vampire if you hadn't done that."

"You are right," Luna answered, "If your powers remained, Drusilla would have died a thousand deaths at your feet."

"You are a strong warrior, Demona," Phoebe added.

"But even the strongest of warriors have had to rely on the aide of others," Selene finished, "This is something you have never done."

"You have made few allies in your life and when you have, you have trusted them to do very little," the Sisters then said in unison, "While your individual perseverance is admirable, it has also lead to your greatest defeats in life because you can not trust others to help you when you need it."

Demona thought about that for a minute. Her betrayal of Macbeth. The destruction of her clan. The Sisters were obviously making a reference to this incident. She betrayed Macbeth because she feared that the king would betray her. She never trusted Macbeth enough to control his own soldiers or to at least talk to her. She then thought of something Goliath had said to her some four or five years ago.

'My strength has never depended on brute force, Demona, but on true friends.'

"So this was all a test to make sure that I could put my faith in someone other than myself?" Demona asked.

"That, and to find the tip on Africa," the Sisters answered in unison.

**The End**


	2. The Test

All the characters appearing in Gargoyles and Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles are copyright Buena Vista Television/The Walt Disney Company. Characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel are the property of Warner Bros. and created by Joss Whedon. All characters are being used without permission of their creators. No infringement of these copyrights is intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder. All original characters are the property of SN.

Note: I'm disregarding the events in the "Goliath Chronicles", with the exception of "The Journey" because I do not wish to use the rest of the "Goliath Chronicles" as canon to my story. This story takes place two days after "Demona's Journey." This story also ignores the continuality in the Buffy/Angel universe. The events in Angel's 5th and Buffy's Final Season have already occurred in this story.

The Test

By SN/TVfan

Email: Sam_Nary

**Nigeria**

Fara Maku gazed over the area that used to be Anansi's city. Even with the trickster gone, and all of the trouble surrounding it gone, something was still drawing him to look at the city.

"Did it come back?" Tea asked coming up behind him.

Fara turned to see the fellow were-panther walk up and sit beside him.

"No," Fara sighed, "And that is a good thing. If it weren't for that spider none of all this would have happened."

"But then I might still be in the city," Tea pointed out, "And then we'd both be alone. You made your deal with Anansi out of love. The wish itself was selfish, but the motivation was in a sense noble."

"I'm glad you still have faith in me," Fara answered.

"I will always have faith in you," Tea answered, "Come on, we still have another sweep to make to keep poachers out of this region. The spider's city will still be there at some other time."

**Anansi's City**

A small mirror in the center of the city glowed a bright emerald green as the spider-like trickster fey known as Anansi stepped through it. The arachnid had lost a lot of its weight on Avalon, partially since Oberon had believed that gluttony was a sin, and sadly Anansi did not.

"I am home," Anansi chuckled to itself, "Now I must reassemble my people! Without Oberon and his laws, I am free."

However, as Anansi took a few steps forward on its eight legs, two strong arms grabbed her from behind. One grabbed her abdomen and the other grabbed the back of its spider-like head. Anansi tried to erect a spell that would get rid of this sudden attacker, but found itself wrapped in wall of a golden colored light.

The demon had earlier restored Spike's soul looked up from the unconscious body of the fey and chuckled, "I'm afraid I have a different task for you."

It was relatively late when Fara and Tea returned to their small hut in the village. Since Goliath, Elisa, Angela, and Bronx had left on the skiff and Diane Maza had left by airplane, the two werepanthers had found work with Nigeria's national park service. Their village was right near land set aside for wildlife and they needed people to protect the land from poachers. Fara and Tea gladly volunteered.

Fara sat down on a wooden chair placed next to a makeshift desk. The local mailman had delivered the mail for the week already. He began to carefully fumble through the envelopes looking to see what was there. He was pleasantly surprised to see a letter from America among them.

"What's in the mail?" Tea asked from the bedroom.

"Nothing much," Fara answered, "There is a letter from Mrs. Maza for us."

"Read it, I'd like to hear what she's been up to," Tea called.

"It says," Fara began…

_Dear Fara and Tea,_

_It was good to hear from you, my friends. I was glad to hear that everything is going well with you two. Unfortunately things have been rather busy here as of late, and I don't think I would get another chance to visit soon. Maybe if you have time, you two could come up to New York sometime? Goliath and the others would probably like to see you two again and I'm sure you'd like to meet the rest of his clan._

_Speaking of which, let me fill you in on what has been going on here. Our daughter Elisa has recently gotten married. He's a nice "guy", and you've met him, in fact. Goliath, it turns out, is Elisa's lucky man. What's made things rather busy here was the appearance of an evil wizard who has done something that has made our family here slightly… weird, I guess is the word. I'm not going to go into it, but everyone here has been chasing their "tails" over and over again trying to catch this guy. Our other daughter, Beth, has recently graduated from college._

_Please come visit sometime._

_Diane_

"It is a nice letter, a shame she can't come visit soon," Tea commented coming back into the main room.

"I wonder what she means by weird though," Fara commented.

"Well," Tea answered in a soft voice, "She did say that her daughter, Elisa married the big purple gargoyle that helped us beat Anansi."

Fara was about to answer back when a neighbor stuck his head in.

"What is it?" Fara asked.

"There is a strange woman outside looking for 'whoever is in charge'," the neighbor said.

"We're coming," Fara sighed.

Fara and Tea walked out of the hut slowly, wondering who would be looking for 'whoever is in charge' this late. What they saw was something rather surprising. It was a group of four women. One had fiery red hair and was wearing jeans, a tee-shirt, and hiking boots. This woman wasn't all too strange, but her companions were. Each had a different hair color, but the hair style was exactly the same, and they looked relatively similar. What stuck out most to Fara and Tea was that these three women were each wearing a Victorian age style dress.

"I'm Fara Maku and this is my wife, Tea," Fara introduced himself, "I understand you are looking for me?"

"I'm looking for whoever is in charge," the redhead answered.

"That would be us," Tea nodded.

"I am called Demona," the redhead stated, "These are my associates Selene, Phoebe, and Luna. We will require a place to stay for a few days."

"I'm sure we can find a place," Fara said, "Do you know how long you plan to stay?"

"Not specifically, I am looking for something," Demona answered.

"You're on safari?" Tea asked, "Not many tourists come around this time of year."

"Something like that," Demona responded with a smirk.

It took a little while, but eventually, Demona and the Sisters were let into a small hut that wasn't really in use for much of anything, other than a storage shed. There were four hammocks laid out for their use, and the Sisters decided to plop themselves into three of them, leaving the fourth for Demona.

"So how are we to find this demon?" Demona asked.

"The blonde vampire in Los Angeles said that the demon would contact us," Luna answered, "All we need to do is wait and look for the right sign."

"You're not going to bed already?" Demona questioned.

"We have a long day tomorrow," Selene answered, "Demons are not necessarily trapped in stone like gargoyles during the day nor are they necessarily vulnerable to burning away in it like vampires."

Demona quietly sat down on one of the hammocks, and was about to lie down for the night when a load scream echoed through the village.

Tea and Fara had just settled down to have dinner when they heard the scream. Fara quickly stuck his head out to see three members of a family rush out of a hut screaming for their lives. What shocked Fara was what followed. It was what looked like a man. It was an African, judging by his skin color, but there was something noticeably different. The man had brow ridges similar to what Fara remembered Goliath's looking like, but he had no horns, yellow eyes and two fangs on the upper jaw. Fara heard Tea gasp in shock has the 'man' threw the lifeless body of a member of the family off into the middle of the street.

"We've got to stop him," Tea said in a weak voice, half horrified.

Fara quickly shifted into his panther form and watched Tea shift at the same time. Together the two werepanthers advanced on the strange man.

"That was some trick," the man taunted, "Not that it will help you."

Fara leaped at the 'man', his weight bringing him to the ground. The 'man' didn't do anything and only continued to taunt Fara as he dug his claws into this man's shoulders.

"I don't know why you're doing that," the man taunted Fara, "It can't help you and it can't kill me."

The men then swung a clenched fist into Fara's side, and Fara thought he heard a rib crack as the blow was impacted. The man from below him then grabbed Fara by an arm and a leg and physically threw the werepanther at Tea. Fara and Tea scrambled to get to their feet as the man quickly recovered his.

A new voice suddenly spoke out amidst the battle, "A panther's claws may not be able to kill you vampire, but I know what can."

Before anyone could react a flash of brilliant green energy filled the area and the vampire was soon surrounded by life size crucifixes. It gave a half roar half scream and collapsed to the ground trying to hide itself from the Christian symbols. Fara and Tea turned to see the redhead who called herself Demona standing with one arm raised.

"What do you want, sorceress?" the vampire demanded.

"You're death!" Demona answered, "It is wrong to kill innocent humans. I will give the innocents you've killed their revenge!"

Demona quickly chanted in Latin, and after another brief flash of emerald energy, a wooden stake appeared in the vampire's chest and it exploded in a cloud of dust. Demona then waited for the two were-panthers to return to their human form.

"Well this is quite interesting," Demona said in a half curious half amused voice, "I've heard of werewolves, but this the first I've heard of werepanthers."

"I wish it was the first time that I'd seen someone do magic," Fara said slowly.

"I have no intention of harming anyone," Demona said and then gesturing toward the pile of dust and the circle of crucifixes, "That was a vampire. A sort of demon-human hybrid. They can only be killed by a few certain weaknesses."

"I take it that wood and crosses are two of these weaknesses?" Tea asked.

Demona nodded, "They must be in contact with the cross in order to be killed by it. Otherwise, the cross simply terrifies them. I don't know why particularly. Probably a symbol of good versus evil."

"How do we know you aren't evil?" Fara asked, "The last being that came around here throwing magic around was evil."

"Because I am not human, or at least I shouldn't be," Demona sighed, "I can explain if you come with me."

**Elsewhere**

The demon stepped back from a pool of water in his hidden cave. He had used his own natural power to use the water the way the fey use mirrors.

"You can't hold me here forever!" Anansi challenged from a cell nearby.

"I don't intend to," the demon chuckled back, "There is a being of great power here who is seeking something. Eventually she will either find me or this place. She must face trials first, if she is to be worthy of a reward."

"You're using me as a prize fighter!" Anansi exclaimed.

"Yes," the demon nodded with a smile, "And the being of great power has already past her first test. Easily."

Anansi only growled from its cell, "My people will rescue me."

"I highly doubt that," the demon retorted.

**Village**

"You're supposed to be a gargoyle?" Fara asked in a shocked and skeptical voice.

"Yes, but I regrettably, made some bad choices and was tricked by a wizard called the Mage into being trapped in this human body," Demona nodded, "Right now I seek to regain my true form. From what you've told me about your situation with the Fey, Anansi, we are not all that different."

"You said you are from New York?" Tea asked.

Demona nodded.

"Are you part of Goliath's clan, then?" Fara asked.

"I know Goliath's clan," Demona answered.

"We've recently received a letter from a friend of ours who is also a friend of the clan," Tea said, "She told us some things but didn't go into any real detail. Maybe you could fill us in?"

"Goliath and Elisa have become mates and the Mage was defeated and killed by the clan," Demona shrugged there isn't much else.

"Mates?" Fara asked.

"The gargoyle term for 'man and wife'," Demona answered.

"I see," Fara sighed, and then got up to leave, "Well, it's late, and I've had more than enough excitement for the day. I think it would be best if we all turned in."

Demona watched Fara and Tea leave, and then sighed to herself. Goliath had been here on his world tour. That was the only explanation.

"You did well to stop that vampire," Luna said stepping forward.

"Your remark about innocent humans was also good," Selene added.

"What?" Demona growled, turning to the sisters.

"You told the vampire that 'killing innocent humans is wrong'," Phoebe answered, "That is good."

"I- I-," Demona stuttered.

"Don't make excuses," the Sisters commanded in unison, "If you are to be a gargoyle again you will have to trust humans and if you can learn to at least trust them, then perhaps your own redemption may be at hand."

Fara quietly sunk his head into his pillow. Things were definitely getting too weird for him. Gargoyles fighting wizards. Men who aren't men, but human-demon hybrids. This even put the fact that he was a werepanther and the existence of the Fey to shame in his mind. He was asleep in a heartbeat, and Fara didn't even hear Tea lay down beside him.

Anansi could sense the presence of its two werepanthers in region. They were far away, but they were not beyond the spider-like Fey's reach. Anansi quietly focused its power on two small spiders that were inside its cell.

"Come to me, my children," Anansi said quietly to the two spiders.

The small arachnids walked over quickly, and Anansi gave them a small taste of its power before physically shoving the two spiders outside the cell. Once outside, the two spiders tripled in size as the Fey energy strengthened them.

"Go find my other children," Anansi ordered, "My werepanthers. Bring them to me!"

**Village**

It was nearly dawn when the Sisters aroused Demona from her sleep. The former gargoyle growled angrily at having been awakened but didn't do much else.

"We have breakfast prepared," the Sisters said in unison.

"And then, let me guess," Demona responded, "We're going to go look for this demon?"

Each of the Weird Sisters nodded. It took Demona roughly ten minutes to eat and prepare herself. However, the first site she saw as she left the tent was not exactly what she expected. Both Fara and Tea were walking away from the village and into the wilderness. Both were fully dressed, but neither had any gear with them. The werepanthers had explained their existence but they had also explained their job in this region. Anti-poaching patrols could not be stopped by a mystical panther alone.

"I don't like the looks of this," Demona muttered, "They look as if they're in a trance."

"Just like Goliath did once?" the Sisters questioned.

Demona looked down. The Sisters were playing their own game here, but she then remembered her talks with Elisa, with Goliath, with Puck. The talks she had had while locked in Wyvern's dungeon. The questions that they had raised in her mind.

"That was a mistake on my part," Demona said slowly, "I shouldn't have done that."

"Good!" the Sisters exclaimed, "Now we must follow them!"

**Elsewhere**

The demon quietly walked back into the main chambers in his cave. He noticed that the spider-like fey, Anansi, was quite quiet in its cell.

"What? No threats of escape?" the demon taunted, "I'm hurt!"

"My escape is already assured," Anansi chuckled back, "My children will come for me."

"I told you before," the demon replied, "That is highly unlikely."

Anansi did not answer but gestured to cave entrance with one of its eight legs. The demon turned to see two large black panthers and abnormally large spiders standing there. All four of the creatures looked as though they were being controlled.

"Your powers may have prevented me from escaping this cell," Anansi stated, "But it didn't mean that normal spiders couldn't."

"An interesting solution," the demon replied, "But a solution that doesn't work."

The demon raised his arm and pointed at the four intruders. The two panthers were barely able to avoid the following blast of energy, and the spiders were far less fortunate. When the light faded, both panthers lay in a crippled position on opposite sides of the cave, and all that remained of the spiders was a strange blob of bluish-green goo. Both panthers however seemed to quickly recover and lunged toward the demon.

Demona crouched behind a series of rocks looking into a cave. She could hear Fara and Tea's roars as they battled something inside. The immortal former gargoyle stood up and began to walk in.

"Where are you going?" Selene demanded, "Helping them doesn't help your quest."

"They were victimized once by a being that knew magic," Demona answered, "It seems that they might have been victimized by another being that knows magic. I can not let the actions of an evil sorcerer or sorceress to corrupt beings into believing that anyone who does magic is evil."

Demona then began to walk in the cave. She didn't look back, but if she did, she would have seen the Weird Sisters smiling.

The demon did not entirely wish to deal with these panthers, and was more annoyed than angry that Anansi had been able to find away to extend its power beyond the cell that the demon had placed it in. However, there was a presence approaching the area from the outside, and it was specifically the presence that he was expecting. To keep the panther's off balance, the demon had so far decided to employ general defensive tactics. He had erected a large force field in front of Anansi's cell, making it impossible for the panthers to get at him, and used powers beyond that which the panthers could understand of avoid being tackled.

He looked up as the figure of a redheaded woman approached the inside of the cave.

"Ah… Demona, glad you can make it in time," the demon greeted her, "I will presume you are here to face my challenge in exchange for a gift?"

"How do you…?" Demona began.

"I am the same demon that restored Spike's soul, Demona," the demon answered, "You have had contact with him in your efforts to gain what you want, and have, therefore, learned of me."

"I see," Demona sighed, and then pointed at the two panthers, "And what are you doing with them?"

"I am doing nothing," the demon answered, "Your test however has somehow managed to con them into fighting me."

"Fine," Demona answered, and then commanded in Latin, "Sleep!"

The demon watched as sparks of emerald green energy leapt from Demona's hands and wrapped itself around the two panthers. Once the former gargoyle's lightshow died down, the demon saw that both of the attacking panthers were sound asleep.

"I would prefer that these two be placed somewhere safe during your trials," Demona stated slowly, "I do not want them harmed or imprisoned."

"I will wait," the demon answered with a polite bow.

It took Demona about ten minutes to carry Fara and Tea's unconscious panther forms outside and into the care of the Weird Sisters.

"The demon we seek is inside the cave," Demona stated.

"Then you've past its second test," Luna stated.

"Beware Demona, for what comes is its third and final test," Phoebe added.

"And this one shall be the hardest of all," Selene finished.

Demona glanced down at Fara and Tea's sleeping form for a minute and then nodded. She then returned to the cave, where the demon was waiting.

"I am ready," Demona announced.

"Good," the demon answered.

Demona watched as the demon raised it arms and force fields were suddenly erected around the cave. Demona was now completely cut off from the exit and from the cave's other chambers. The demon stood behind one of those force fields.

"I found this in the local area," the demon said, and then turning to what resembled a prison cell opposite Demona's location, "Anansi, if you wish your freedom, all you need to do is kill Demona. And Demona, if you want to have a wish granted, you must kill Anansi."

Demona turned around to see a spider that was taller than she was with eight glowing green eyes crawl out of the cell.

"FREEDOM!" Anansi yelled.

**Outside**

Fara groaned as he slowly awoke. He felt like someone had run him through a meat grinder, and only put him back together with a roll of scotch tape. He looked over to see Tea struggling to get up as well.

"Relax, Mr. Maku," came a female's voice from behind him.

Fara rolled around to see Phoebe, Selene, and Luna standing in front of the entrance to a cave.

"What's going on?" Fara demanded, "Why are we out here?"

"Some unknown foe had used some form of magic to control you," Luna answered.

"Demona and ourselves have gone through great lengths to retrieve you," Selene added.

"Relax, you and your wife are still quite weak from the affects of the spell you were under," Phoebe commanded.

"Were is Demona now?" Tea asked, sitting up.

"Still facing her trial," The Sisters said in unison.

Inside the cave, things were not going as well as Demona would have liked. It was obvious that Anansi was a Fey. Thanks to the Mage's training, she could somehow sense what Anansi truly was, but she also knew simple iron weapons wouldn't entirely work. The giant spider could only be killed if it were held down so that the iron weapon could be driven into its back. Right now, it could either dodge any iron weapon or remove it and then recover. Demona also silently snarled at the fact that due to the battle with Puck and Titania during the Mage's final assault, her ability to conjure up iron weapons was weakened. Demona needed Anansi immobilized so that she would have the time to create an iron weapon.

Demona was, however, thankful that Anansi was sticking to basic physical attacks or using its webs in an attempt to try and ensnare Demona. The former gargoyle ducked another strand of flying webs and rolled into a crouched position. Demona had decided to try and wear the creature down with magic. Demona didn't sense much power in Anansi, at least not as much power as Puck. However, Anansi's sheer size counted in its favor. Demona had to use long range weapons because without her gargoyle's strength to augment her magic and maintain the stamina needed to battle such an opponent, Demona was easily outmatched by the spider in short range combat.

"Why do you fight me human?" Anansi asked, "I could grant you great power. Together we could destroy that demon and we'd be free."

Demona fired of one of the Mage's original "three pronged lightning" spells, taking Anansi off its feet.

"One, I need the demon in order to accomplish my own goals," Demona said, raising her pointer finger, "Two, I already have great power, and three, from what I understand, you are not exactly one to be trusted."

Anansi leaped into the air and landed over Demona and attempted to sink its spider-like fangs into Demona's shoulder. The Fey had, however, overestimated the distance between Demona and itself. Its abdomen had hit Demona squarely in the face knocking her to the ground.

Demona watched carefully as Anansi shuffled over her. The large spider-like Fey was trying to find her after its failed attempt to leap on her, but it hadn't moved far enough so that its eight eyes could see Demona. Quietly Demona conjured up a small iron dagger. It wouldn't be enough to kill Anansi, but surely it would put the giant creature in pain.

Demona thrust the small dagger into the fused head and thorax of Anansi and then rolled clear. As Demona expected, the dagger didn't kill the giant Fey, but it did succeed in driving it crazy. Its legs appeared to wither and grow weak, its body too big for its legs to support itself. Demona couldn't help but smirk as Anansi screamed with pain with each passing second.

"Do you enjoy that, trickster?" Demona said slowly, "I can create more if you wish?"

Anansi whirled around to face Demona, but by now its legs had totally given out, and once the Fey completed its turn, it fell to the ground. The fall, however, dislodged the dagger, and soon after, Anansi slowly began to get up.

"You'll pay for that," Anansi growled.

"Really," Demona answered, "Fulmenos venite!"

The lightning bolt hit one of Anansi's slowly regenerating legs, blowing it clear off. The Fey stumbled for a few seconds, but soon regained its composure on its remaining seven legs. Anansi then turned and fired two strands of webbing. One wrapped itself around Demona's legs and the other around Demona's arms. While Demona struggled to free herself, Anansi walked over the top of her.

"It's time to be rid of you!" Anansi stated in a confident voice.

Demona soon found herself dodging the spider's fangs as Anansi tried to finish off Demona. Eventually Demona made risky dissension, and fired another of the Mage's "three pronged lightning" spells at Anansi. The blasts hit the giant spider and threw it across the room, but at such close range and with her limbs tied down, Demona was also seriously burned. As the former gargoyle got to her feet she noticed the several serious burn marks on her arms legs and on the rest of her body. She wouldn't be able to do that again.

Anansi landed on its back and was struggling to simply roll over when Demona got to her feet. Demona knew that now was as good a time as any, and while Anansi rolled over, Demona conjured a solid iron spear out of nothing. Anansi made a half leap half charge at Demona, hobbling on its seven remaining legs. Demona quickly leaped onto Anansi's back and before the Fey could throw her, slammed the long spear clear through its back.

The iron spear thrust Anansi into a series of death convulsions as its heart was punctured and that the iron was now poisoning it. These convulsions threw Demona off Anansi's back into to one of the cave's side walls, knocking her out.

Demona didn't know how long she was out, but when she awoke the demon was standing over her.

"You have triumphed Demona," the demon said, "Anansi is dead. You are entitled to one wish."

"All I want is to be myself again," Demona said, "Nothing more, nothing less."

The demon kneeled down to her and placed a hand on her head and then said slowly, "Very well."

There was a slow flash of golden light, and Demona felt a strange tickling sensation go through her mind. After a few minutes the demon took its hand away and stepped back. Demona looked down at her hands. Her hands were still five fingered human hands.

"You've restored me to the way Puck had me?" Demona asked.

"No, your form is still human," the demon answered.

"I wanted to be a gargoyle, not human!" Demona yelled angrily, "How dare you trick me!"

"There are no tricks," the demon said slowly, "You wished for to be yourself. That does not necessarily mean changing your form. I have however granted you the knowledge you need to overpower the Mage's spell, if you wish to do so."

"Do you have the power to undo the Mage's power yourself, and how do you know about him?" Demona asked.

"I do not have that sort of raw power," the demon answered, "And I know a great many things."

The demon then faded away. Demona stood up slowly and rubbed her head. The demon had to have done something there. Somehow, her mind was remembering spells the Mage had created, some she couldn't do without the Grimorum's text to study first and others she had never even tried before. It was like she fully understood how the Mage and his style of magic worked.

As Demona turned to leave the cave, Fara, Tea, and the Weird Sisters rushed in.

"Are you alright?" Fara asked, "We heard a lot of yelling coming from in here."

"I am fine," Demona answered, and then gesturing to Anansi's dead form, "The Fey that has caused you all your troubles will not trouble you or your people anymore."

Fara looked slowly at the giant spider and the large spear sticking out of its back.

"We should get back to village," Tea suggested, "Between being put into a trance by possessed spiders and you for having battled Anansi, I think we could all use some rest."

Demona and the Sisters slowly nodded.

**The Next Day**

Fara and Tea were slightly depressed when Demona told them that the death of Anansi didn't end their curse. The redheaded sorceress had agreed to stay longer to help the two werepanthers recover from Anansi's attempt to manipulate them and possibly help pick up the slack on their job. Demona in fact found the wildlife protection work that they did to be rather interesting. For so many years, Demona had used as one of her reasons to wipe out humanity was the 'fact' that, in her mind, humans would hunt and kill anything until it was extinct, no matter what its species was. Here, Demona found two humans and a good many others who were organizing anti-poaching patrols to catch and stop poachers.

"Maybe these humans are worth saving," Demona thought to herself.

"So where will you go next?" Tea asked coming up along side Demona as she watched the sun set.

"Egypt and the Middle East," Demona answered, "Regaining my gargoyle form will not be a simple all in one spell. The Mage's magic is too powerful for that, even with using a different type of human magic. I must perform a series of spells in order to turn myself back into a gargoyle, and all of them need to be done at night."

"Well, I wish you the best of luck, Demona," Tea said, "Thank you for helping us."

"It was no problem," Demona responded.

**The demon's cave**

"So this is all you required of me?" the demon asked, looking at Anansi's dead body, "The death of this Fey here?"

"Aye," the Weird Sisters said in unison, "Anansi is not the most loyal of Oberon's Children."

"Despite his death, his law remains," Selene commented.

"Though no Fey is restricted to follow Oberon's law or the laws of the Gathering," Luna added, "They are still in existence."

"And until the Queen has decreed them at an end, we will serve the laws forever," Phoebe finished.

"You have done our task in removing a disloyal member of our race," the Sisters said in unison, "You can be assured that the Third Race thanks you."

"You're welcome," the demon said slowly as the Sisters vanished.

**The End**


	3. On the Nile

All the characters appearing in Gargoyles and Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles are copyright Buena Vista Television/The Walt Disney Company. The Unseelie Court belongs to the TGS. Characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel are the property of Warner Bros. and created by Joss Whedon. All characters are being used without permission of their creators. No infringement of these copyrights is intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder. All original characters are the property of SN.

Note: I'm disregarding the events in the "Goliath Chronicles", with the exception of "The Journey" because I do not wish to use the rest of the "Goliath Chronicles" as canon to my story. This story takes place two days after "The Test." This story also ignores the continuality in the Buffy/Angel universe. The events in Angel's 5th and Buffy's Final Season have already occurred in this story.

On the Nile

By SN

Email:

Sam_Nary

**Avalon**

"Sisters," Titania said in a stern voice, "I do not approve of the manner in which you have dealt with Anansi."

"Anansi was seeking to betray your command that all Fey recognize Oberon's decree of the Gathering and that Oberon's Law remains the Fey's law," Phoebe protested.

"The spider left Avalon knowing that it was against your decree," Selene added.

"And with full intent to break Oberon's law, now that he is not here to enforce it," Luna finished.

"Anansi still did not deserve death for such a minor offense," Titania answered, "Our court has already suffered enough death. We need not have more."

"It has quelled Banshee and Raven's inclinations to return to the mortal realm," the Sisters answered in unison.

"Do not kill any more members of this court," Titania commanded.

"Yes, Queen Titania," the Sisters answered unison.

Titania settled back onto her throne in Avalon's main hall and looked at the Weird Sisters. Each of them was lined up in a straight line, and standing perfectly erect, as if they were soldiers on a battlefield.

"How is Demona's progress in restoring herself?" Titania asked.

"The demon has provided Demona with the knowledge she needs," Selene answered.

"We are no longer needed to guide her," Phoebe added.

"Keep an eye on her," Titania commanded.

"We will watch her," Luna answered with a bow.

**Egypt, Near the Great Pyramids**

"Wow, Ms. Destine, I didn't know you were really interested in all of this mythical stuff," a man in a khaki safari outfit said in a fairly strong English accent.

"I am interested in a great many things, Dr. Wedrington," Demona answered, "Especially since I've left Nightstone, I have had a considerable amount of free time."

Dr. Wedrington looked back at the large pyramid they were standing near.

"Yes, well," Dr. Wedrington said, "This pyramid was made for a great General in the ancient Egyptian army many years ago. Now yes, pyramids were normally built for Pharaohs and Pharaohs alone, but there is a rumor that this general performed such a historic deed that the Pharaoh had the general buried in the pyramid, while he took a simple peasant's tomb."

"What deed did he do?" Demona asked, "I've only heard of this pyramid recently and that was mostly rumors as to what lies within."

"Yes, there is quite the rumor that a great artifact is buried with the general inside the tomb," Dr. Wedrington answered, "It is said to have been given to the Pharaoh by either Isis or Osiris, there is even a rumor that Anubis had power over the talisman. According to the legends, the artifact is supposed to be a gift to protect the general's soul. From what and for what purpose, I'm not sure."

"So what great deed did this general do?" Demona asked again.

"Well, according to legends about this pyramid, the general…" Dr. Wedrington began.

**Ancient Egypt**

People ran in every direction in search of cover, as soldiers moved to try and stop the madness that covered Egypt. Lions and cheetahs, animals not normally found in the desert had come from nowhere and were attacking innocent people where they lived. Meanwhile, the general Emon-Rii gathered soldiers around the Pharaoh's palace. These creatures had to be stopped.

"General, what could be doing this?" a soldier asked.

"I do not know," Emon-Rii answered, "This can not be the work of the Gods, for we have not sinned."

"Yes," the soldier added, "and the people have been loyal to the Pharaoh as well. Demons must be attacking us!"

Another soldier came running up, "General! The gargoyles have all been killed!"

Emon-Rii looked at the soldier in shock, "What!"

"The gargoyles were all killed general!" the soldier shouted, "Their eggs too! It was some strange woman with a lion's head!"

Suddenly the image of the woman that the soldier had described appeared in front of them.

"I am Sekhmet," the lion-headed woman announced, "Leader of the African faction of the Unseelie Court! You are to bow to us as your rulers and your Pharaoh is to be brought to me for execution!"

Emon-Rii grabbed one of he bronze spears that the soldiers were holding and threw it at the lion-headed woman.

"You will not have the Pharaoh!" Emon-Rii shouted, "He was chosen by Osiris to rule!"

The bronze spear pierced the Unseelie's chest, but other create a ghastly looking wound caused Sekhmet no major injury.

"Foolish mortal," Sekhmet roared as she kneeled on the ground, pulling the spear out of her, "You think bronze can harm me! I am a goddess! You should do as I say! You will bring me your Pharaoh!"

"You are not as great as Osiris and he chose the Pharaoh to rule," Emon-Rii yelled, "If you are the Goddess Sekhmet, you have much to answer for!"

Sekhmet roared and fired twin beams of fire from her hands at Emon-Rii and his soldiers around him. The beams however, were aimed too high and they instead hit part of the Pharaoh's palace, causing a few columns to collapse.

"You are not the Goddess," Emon-Rii said, "If you were, we would be dead by now!"

Sekhmet got to her feet slowly, "Children kill them as you killed their idiotic protectors!"

The various cheetahs and lions charged toward Emon-Rii and his soldiers. Archers from the roof of the palace fired their arrows taking out a few as they charged and wounding others. One large lion leaped at Emon-Rii, and the general was forced to drop to the ground. He thrust his sword out to let the lion fall on it. The soldiers armed with spears and swords managed to repeal the attack, but with heavy casualties. Out of ten that were earlier there, only three now remained, including Emon-Rii.

"We won't survive another attack if she regroups her animals," one of the soldiers said.

"We must stop her," Emon-Rii muttered, "We can not let her have the Pharaoh, and she must be punished for what she's done to our guardians."

"To bad bronze can't hurt that witch," the other soldier commented.

"Bronze?" Emon-Rii questioned, "Of course! She said bronze can't hurt her! Into the palace! The Pharaoh met with the Hittite ambassadors a few months ago! They gave him a dagger made out of a strange metal. It is too heavy to be bronze or brass. Perhaps this can harm our attacker!"

The Pharaoh paced quietly inside his private chambers. Several soldiers were guarding him, and he was nervous. He heard the cries of the beasts outside and the death screams of his other soldiers. Suddenly Emon-Rii and three soldiers burst into the room.

"Pharaoh, where is the dagger the Hittites gave you?" Emon-Rii asked, "A woman with the head of a lion is leading these vicious animals in the attack against us and is invulnerable to bronze. The new metal in that dagger might help us!"

The Pharaoh gave a surprised look to Emon-Rii, but went and collected the dagger the Hittite ambassadors had given him. Emon-Rii took the dagger and rushed out, his soldiers following.

"Don't worry, Pharaoh," Emon-Rii shouted back, "It will be returned to you or I will die!"

Emon-Rii ran into the lion-headed woman who had identified herself as Sekhmet in the halls. The Unseelie fired two beams of fire and killed the remaining two soldiers. Emon-Rii meanwhile, struggled forward, the Hittite dagger in his hand. Sekhmet's last blast had singed the Egyptian general's arms, but he still did not drop the dagger.

"You dare oppose me?" Sekhmet growled.

By the time she finished her curse, Emon-Rii had got close enough to Sekhmet to stab her. His blow, however, missed the Unseelie's vitals. The dagger was lodged in her shoulder.

"Iron!" Sekhmet screamed, "How did you get iron?!"

Emon-Rii watched the Unseelie drop to the ground in pain. The animals behind her also dropped to the ground. The general moved to place a foot on his enemy's stomach to hold it down and removed the dagger.

"No I will kill you for attacking Egypt," Emon-Rii said sternly.

Sekhmet's eyes flashed emerald for a second, "I'm afraid not! By taking the dagger out of me, you've actually helped me!"

Sekhmet flared a massive pillar of flames above her, incinerating Emon-Rii to nothing more than ashes in seconds. The iron dagger, however, survived and lay at her feet.

Sekhmet looked at the dagger and looked back to her obedient animals, "It is time we retreat my children! They have found iron somehow and we are no longer invulnerable to them."

With that Sekhmet vanished, seemingly into thin air and her animals turned and left. The Pharaoh and a few soldiers appeared in the now deserted hallway a few moments later to find Emon-Rii's ashes.

"The witch has killed the general," a soldier commented.

"Yes," the Pharaoh said, kneeling to pick up the dagger, "But he drover her off first. Apparently the Hittites know something we don't. This witch feared their weapon. We could learn something. And Emon-Rii was the one to show it to us. His sacrifice will not go unrewarded. No. He shall be buried in my pyramid and I buried in his peasant's tomb!"

The Pharaoh then turned to a scribe anxiously scribbling hieroglyphics onto a papyrus scroll.

"So let it be written," the Pharaoh said, "So let it be done!"

**Present**

"This Sekhmet killed of a clan of gargoyles to get at the Pharaoh?" Demona asked.

"And then Emon-Rii according to the legend," Dr. Wedrington answered, "You wouldn't believe how many gargoyle related legends we've discovered since that clan in New York was discovered. More people all over the world are either claiming to have seen them or have references to the species. I heard this part of the legend in one of the local shops. How did you hear about this pyramid?"

"I have some friends who past this way before," Demona explained, leaving out that they were the Weird Sisters, "They didn't know that this is a new pyramid."

"They do all look alike, don't they?" Dr. Wedrington chuckled.

"Yes, well lead the way," Demona instructed as she began to follow the doctor up the side of the pyramid.

There was a small opening in the top of the pyramid that Dr. Wedrington and Demona climbed through.

"So Doctor, what chamber do you think the artifact is in?" Demona asked.

"Probably in the same room as Emon-Rii's ashes," Dr. Wedrington answered, "Why are you interested in it, Ms. Destine?"

"Let's say I have a personal interest in ancient artifacts," Demona answered.

The former gargoyle and the English archeologist slowly walked through a dark passage.

"Now we must be careful, Ms. Destine," Dr. Wedrington warned, "There should be a vertical shaft up ahead; once we get there, it will be a long climb because the Egyptians didn't put stairs in these things and nor did they put in iron rungs. No one wants to fall."

"Right," Demona answered.

As they walked deeper into the tunnel, Dr. Wedrington pulled a flashlight from one of the side pockets of his shorts and flicked the switch on. The light from the flashlight illuminated the vertical shaft that Dr. Wedrington mentioned. The doctor was the first to descend, placing his hands and feet into carefully carved niches in the brick. Once Dr. Wedrington and his flashlight had descended down the shaft a few feet, Demona pulled out her own flashlight that she kept in her back pocket. Once she turned her flashlight on, Demona slowly began to follow Dr. Wedrington down the vertical shaft.

"So which way to the burial chamber?" Demona asked once they reached the bottom of the shaft.

"It should be straight ahead," Dr. Wedrington answered, "That is if the rumors on this pyramid's construction are accurate."

"I hope they are," Demona responded, walking forward.

It didn't take long for Dr. Wedrington to catch up. They soon came up to a pair of large double doors made out of intricately shaped bronze. The doors, however, had withered over time, and crashed with a tremendous crash when Demona and Dr. Wedrington began to open them. The two were quite lucky not to get crushed by one of the doors.

"That would give new meaning to the word 'flattened'," Dr. Wedrington chuckled.

Demona ignored the joke and walked into the burial chamber. It was large. Hieroglyphics and paintings lined the walls. Two gold statues, one shaped like Anubis and the other apparently like Isisstood at the foot and head of what appeared to be a coffin designed to look like a pharaoh. On top of this coffin, was a small urn, with hieroglyphics and symbols and pictures of Osiris.

"The Burial Urn of Osiris," Demona muttered, stepping toward it.

"You know what it is?" Dr. Wedrington asked.

"I'm involved in more things than simply business," Demona answered, "Sorcery is one of them. I find it helpful."

"Sorcery isn't real," Dr. Wedrington answered, "That story about Emon-Rii was overdone to exemplify his heroism. More the likely, a large number of rabid animals had escaped from a zoo or something. The Egyptians worshiped cats through Isis and there are many mummified cats."

"You believe that there are gargoyles in New York correct, Doctor?" Demona asked.

"Yes," Dr. Wedrington answered, "But that's different, people have actually seen them and they have been captured on tape."

"Have you ever seen the Eiffel tower?" Demona asked.

"No, not in person," Dr. Wedrington answered.

"Do you believe it exists, even though you've never seen it?" Demona asked again.

"Yes, but that's hardly comparable with sorcery," Dr. Wedrington argued.

"Have you seen God then?" Demona asked.

Dr. Wedrington quit arguing.

"I know this may be hard to believe, but sorcery does exist, and I know a fair deal of it," Demona said, "However, there is a spell I must cast that requires this urn."

"You can't do that!" Dr. Wedrington protested, "This pyramid must be preserved, and if anything is taken it can only be taken to a museum where it can be properly examined and the displayed."

"Calm yourself, doctor," Demona sighed, "I do not need to move the urn in order to cast the spell. You see, the ingredients in the urn are designed to protect the soul of Emon-Rii by making it as hard as a rock. All I need to do is cast one minor spell in Arabic and then my need for it is done."

"Let me take a few pictures first," Dr. Wedrington said, pulling a camera from a satchel he had been carrying.

"Take your time," Demona said politely, "I must wait for dusk anyway."

"What?" Dr. Wedrington asked.

"I will explain," Demona growled in an annoyed voice.

**Ancient Egypt**

The Pharaoh and several priests stood in the completed tomb built for Emon-Rii. Gold statues of Isis and Anubis stood at the head and foot of the general's ornate 'coffin'. One priest held the Burial Urn of Osiris in his hands, and placed it on top of the coffin that normally held a pharaoh's mummy, but this time held the ashes of Emon-Rii.

"The General Emon-Rii was a great Egyptian," the Pharaoh said, "Among the greatest of us. If I didn't already have an heir, I would surely have chosen him to succeed me."

"Yes," a priest affirmed, "A gift from the Gods. That is why we place the Burial Urn of Osiris here. It is consecrated with Osisis's power and spirit."

"And the shattered stone shells of our guardians?" the Pharaoh asked.

"They are inside the urn," another priest answered, "That way, Emon-Rii and our guardians shall journey into the afterlife together."

"The gargoyle's stone shells combined with the powers of Osiris will also keep Emon-Rii's soul safe from all who would seek to harm him," a third priest said.

The Pharaoh then nodded, "Good. Grab your torches and let us depart. For we can not journey to the afterlife with him."

The priests respectfully nodded and bowed. Shortly thereafter, they left, leaving Emon-Rii's tomb dark and ignored.

**Present**

"The priests used Osiris's god-like powers to use the innate powers of the gargoyle's stone shells to protect Emon-Rii's spirit," Demona explained, "Like his soul is rapt in a permanent stone sleep."

"Stone sleep?" Dr. Wedrington asked.

"During the day, gargoyles sleep encased in stone," Demona growled, "During this time they heal almost any wound they suffered during the night. This daytime hibernation is referred to as stone sleep."

"You seek to gain that sort of protection?" Dr. Wedrington exclaimed in a surprised tone, "But why? You're human! And a remarkably powerful human! And if you know sorcery, if sorcery is even real, you shouldn't need this 'stone sleep'."

"We must be who we must be," Demona answered, "I'm going to let you in on a little secret my nosey professor, I was hatched a gargoyle. Not born a human. A powerful wizard cursed me to be in this human form. All I want to do is to return myself to my true form."

"Turning yourself into a rock during the day won't make you a gargoyle," Dr. Wedrington snorted.

"I don't have time for this," Demona growled, and then pointed one arm and commanded in Latin that Dr. Wedrington go to the nearest tavern and not return to the pyramid until after the next day.

The doctor as if in a trance, then turned and left the chamber climbed up the vertical shaft and left the pyramid. As he left he saw three women in Victorian style dresses, and if he had any control over himself he would have asked them what they were doing there, but instead, he walked right by them. The Weird Sisters only watched the doctor leave.

After he disappeared from sight, the three Fey chuckled to themselves, "What have you been up to?"

Dr. Wedrington continued walking across the hot desert sands until he returned to his hotel room. He remained in the trance that Demona had put him under. As he walked into the nearby town, he accidentally bumped into a young woman with rather dark tan hair.

"Excuse me," the woman said politely.

Dr. Wedrington, still in his trance said nothing.

"What a rude mortal," the woman muttered under her breath.

The woman watched as Dr. Wedrington walked away. As he did so, the woman's eyes slowly changed from a hazel color to a golden yellow color.

"This is interesting, I haven't sensed the Mage's power in centuries," the woman though, "It will be well to see what my master's ally has been up to."

Five minutes later, Dr. Wedrington sat down on the bed in his hotel room, intent on getting some sleep, when the same woman that he had earlier bumped into walked into the room. Two cheetah-like creatures followed her. Once the two animals were in, the woman closed and locked the door.

The woman waved an arm, and after a brief flash of emerald light, Dr. Wedrington felt the trance being lifted off of him.

"Tell me, Dr. Wedrington, what is your association with the Mage?" the woman asked.

Dr. Wedrington looked at the two cheetahs and nearly jumped out of the window in fear.

"Don't worry," the woman said, scratching of the cats behind its ears, "My pets won't hurt you, unless I tell them to. Now, what is your association with the Mage?"

"I know of no Mage," Dr. Wedrington answered, "I'm here to take a look at the pyramid to Emon-Rii, and preserve its secrets so that future generations may be able to marvel at it in the future."

"Emon-Rii," the woman snarled, "The man dared to fight a Goddess, he deserved his death. Why the Pharaohs gave him a pyramid to rot in, I'll never know. On top of all this he was a peasant."

Dr. Wedrington did nothing for a few moments as the woman shifted her appearance, taking the form of a woman with a lion's head. The doctor shuddered in horror and inched toward the window.

The woman waved an arm and Dr. Wedrington was magically flung to the bed and held down by strange binds.

"Relax, doctor," the lion headed woman said, "I am Sekhmet. I do not seek to harm you, yet."

"You…I've heard stories about…" Dr. Wedrington stammered.

"All probably made to denounce my Godhood," Sekhmet snarled, "The story of Emon-Rii is chief among them. Who is at the pyramid now?"

"A woman, red hair, called Dominique Destine," Dr. Wedrington said quickly, fear edging his every word.

"What is the CEO of Nightstone Unlimited doing in Egypt?" Sekhmet demanded.

"She said she's left Nightstone," Dr. Wedrington answered, "Wanting to do something about making herself a gargoyle or something like that."

Sekhmet smiled, "And she seeks to use Osiris's power and the gargoyle stone shells inside his burial urn to begin the process. Interesting."

"What do you plan to do to me?" Dr. Wedrington asked.

"I have a master in need of servants," Sekhmet answered, slowly removing Dr. Wedrington's outer garments, leaving him in his underwear, "The trance you were in reeks of the Mage's power, but if Dominique Destine is the one who cast the spell I must be cautious. My master and the Mage were relatively week allies. Sort of like Roosevelt and Stalin, the only thing that kept them from fighting each other was Hitler. However, I can not be certain that Miss Destine will follow the same alliance so I need personal servants as well to draw her out and away from the pyramid, where my power will be more effective."

Sekhmet nodded to one of the two cheetahs standing beside her, and the large animal stepped forward, its mouth salivating.

"What are you going to do to me?" Dr. Wedrington demanded.

"I intend to alter you so that you fit my needs," Sekhmet smiled as the cheetah sank it fangs into Dr. Wedrington's leg.

**Pyramid of Emon-Rii**

The Weird Sisters found Demona in Emon-Rii's burial chamber, the former gargoyle's eyes intently fixed on the sarcophagus and the burial urn on top of it.

"I was wondering when you three would show up," Demona muttered.

"You know we are never far away, Demona," Luna answered.

"We are here to make sure you do not cause trouble," Phoebe added.

"Now, where is the archeologist who is supposed to be studying this find?" Selene finished.

"I sent him back to his hotel," Demona shrugged, "He was getting nosey into things he couldn't believe and couldn't shut up about. My mind is currently questioning whether or not my old mission to destroy humanity was correct, but I am quite certain that I am entitled to my privacy. I shouldn't have to explain my quest to every single person who comes along."

"True, but your quest is going to lead you to others," Selene countered.

"Not all of them really need to know," Luna admitted.

"But that doesn't mean you can toss them aside," Phoebe finished.

"We believe that Dr. Wedrington will be most displeased if he finds out that someone else gets his name in the history books for documenting this pyramid and not him, even though he actually found it first," the Sisters then said in unison.

Demona looked down for a moment. Perhaps what she did was rude, but it would be dusk soon and she could cast her spell and her stay in Egypt would be over and Wedrington's problems would not be hers.

Little under half an hour later, the sun set over the Egyptian desert and Demona straightened herself up to cast the required spell to begin her path to become a gargoyle again. Slowly Demona extended her arms over the Burial Urn of Osiris and began to speak clearly in Arabic.

Demona spoke clearly in Arabic, "Osiris, a gargoyle out of form calls on your power to restore its safety. Return to me my stone sleep!"

The urn soon rose up from the sarcophagus and glowed a brilliant yellowish glow and soon the entire room was bathed in the golden light. When it had faded away from the chamber Demona had been knocked to the floor and was sitting with her back leaning up against one of the chambers walls. The Weird Sisters continued to stand in a half circle as if nothing had happened.

"Do you feel anything?" the Sisters asked.

Demona smiled weakly, "Yes, my body can sense the moving of the sun again. I will return to stone sleep when the sun rises."

The sisters then looked to one another and then said, "Then if you've satisfied your wishes, you must now tend to the archeologist you forced out earlier today."

Demona left the pyramid in a slightly annoyed manner. She didn't want to have to deal with Dr. Wedrington again. She had got what she wanted and he would get what he wanted tomorrow. However, as she came out of the exit she saw something that startled her. Four anthromorphic creatures stood at the base of the pyramid. Two were cheetah-like creatures and two were lion-like creatures.

A woman with a lion's head, and wearing the robes of an Ancient Egyptian queen stepped forward, "Well Dominique Destine, I'm glad to have at last met you."

"Who are you?" Demona growled angrily.

The other three creatures noticed Demona's visible hostility to the lion-headed woman and growled bank in an aggressive manner.

"Please, Demona," the lion-headed woman chided, "There is no need to become aggressive here. We are all friends. I am called Sekhmet. These three magnificent creatures are my hand servants."

Demona watched as Sekhmet moved to rub the ears of the two anthromorphic cheetahs, which were both female, and then to stroke the mane of the large male anthromorphic lion.

"If you are the Sekhmet that was attacking Egypt that caused this pyramid to dedicated Emon-Rii then I doubt that we are friends here," Demona snarled, "You are evil."

Sekhmet silently snarled at the woman standing atop the pyramid, and she was about to retort with a command to her servants, but decided to try a different tactic. She reached out with her mind to look at the woman's past. After all, Dominique Destine was a member of the business elite and would likely have secrets that could be used to her advantage. However, what the lion-like Unseelie saw was the trapped figure of a sky-blue female gargoyle with flaming red hair and a brass colored tiara. This was obviously something that was not going to allow her to manipulate her, since she also sensed a great deal of manipulation already. But she did find some information that might be useful.

"Come now, Ms. Destine," Sekhmet said, "It is apparent that we are both more than we claim to be. Isn't that right, Demona?"

Demona's eyes widened at the mention of her true name.

"How did you guess that name?" Demona stammered.

"I am a fey, Demona," Sekhmet answered, and then added in a more arrogant tone, "I know many things. You have to choices. One you can submit to my authority or two you can die."

"I will not serve you," Demona snarled.

The large male lion bared its teeth and the two cheetahs came to stand in front of it.

"Dr. Wedrington doesn't like your tone," Sekhmet commented, "And I don't like it either. You are outmatched and outnumbered. If you will not serve me, than I will make your death swift if you surrender."

"Dr. Wedrington?" Demona stammered.

Sekhmet teased the fur under the male lion's muzzle, "I ran into him on my way here and learned that someone had used the Mage's powers on him. Then I learned that you were the one to cast the spell. He has been quite helpful, and if you hadn't put a trance on him, I wouldn't have found you."

Demona's eyes widened. The Sisters were trying to warn her of something earlier and she ignored it. The powers she had been taught by the Mage and the knowledge she gained in winning in the battle with Anansi, told Demona that whatever Sekhmet had done, it was permanent. She had done something disastrous yet again, and it brought to mind only more words that Goliath had spoken a few years before.

'There is good and evil in all of us, human and gargoyle alike. You should know that more than anyone. Don't you see? None of this would have happened if it hadn't been for YOU!'

"You will have wished you hadn't messed with me or the Doctor," Demona growled, "Fulmenos Venite!"

The lightning bolt knocked the lion-headed woman to the ground, scattering dust throughout the air.

"Kill her!" Sekhmet commanded.

The transformed Dr. Wedrington and the two cheetahs charged up the pyramid steps. Demona sensed no magical powers emanating from the three anthromorphic animals, and pointed her arms at her charging attackers and chanted in Latin. Sekhmet was surprised to see her servants vanish into thin air.

"What have you done you witch?" Sekhmet roared, shaking the earth with her own powers, causing a few of the top pyramid bricks to fall of to the earth below.

"I've dropped them off in the Nile," Demona smiled, "You've already figured out that I was trained by the Mage in the arts of sorcery. Now it's my turn to ask a question, you do know that he wanted the extermination of the entire Third Race?"

"The Mage had a deal with my Master to get rid of Oberon," Sekhmet corrected, "It is Oberon he has trouble with. And why are you referring to the Mage in past tense?"

"First of all, the Mage would have likely double crossed your master," Demona said, "I had a deal with him and he double crossed me. Second of all, the Mage is past tense. He is dead."

"Dead?" Sekhmet asked, half in disbelief.

"As a doornail," Demona answered, "Fulmenos Venite!"

Sekhmet dodged the second lightning bolt and created another massive localized earthquake. This one was far stronger than the one before and some of the pyramids lower and middle bricks began dislocate themselves

Demona began to descend the stairs to attack the evil Unseelie. She chanted in Latin, and shaped the sands into strong hands and gripped Sekhmet tightly, pulling her to the ground. Demona then threw another powerful lighting bolt at Sekhmet. The blast hit her, and caused the Unseelie to scream with pain, but the bolt also destroyed the 'sand hands' that Demona was using to hold Sekhmet still.

Sekhmet slowly pulled herself to her feet. She was slowly discovering that Demona was not so easy a foe to defeat. This meant that the Mage would not be easy and perhaps nearly impossible to beat. The lion-headed fey refused to give up however, and took a few tactical steps back.

Sekhmet then chanted:

"_Sorceress trained by a master,_

_fall and be crushed to death,_

_by falling plaster!"_

Emerald energy filled the air and suddenly, the earth around the pyramid shuddered and then lifted into the air. Demona watched as Sekhmet added more and more magic into her spell. The pyramid lifted higher and higher into the air, leaving a large crater in the earth. After a few seconds the pyramid began to rotate in mid air. Demona's eyes opened with shock as she realized what Sekhmet planned to do. Demona fervently tried to grip the pyramid's bricks as it rotated, but without a gargoyle's talons, she soon fell down into the crater, landing with a decisive thud. Demona then moved to shield herself as the pyramid, in its upside down position, fell on top of her.

Sekhmet grinned evilly as the dust settled over what was formerly a pyramid. Not even a sign of Demona remained protruding through the rubble. As the dust cleared, Sekhmet walked to the one object that survived. The Burial Urn of Osiris.

"I had not doubts that Osiris would see to your survival," Sekhmet chuckled to herself as she picked up the artifact.

Sekhmet then looked up to see three water drenched forms come walking out of the darkness.

"My servants!" Sekhmet greeted the two cheetahs and lion, "That witch didn't hurt you too much?"

The animals all answered in positive sounding grunts and growls, and made large smiles with their anthromorphic mouths, that their elongated teeth made look rather threatening.

"Good my children," Sekhmet said with a smile, "Now let us depart."

**Unknown Location**

"Master," Sekhmet said softly, almost purring as she entered what looked like a 17th century library.

The lone male figure standing by the windows turned to face the lion-headed Sekhmet.

"Yes," the figure answered.

"I have recovered the Burial Urn of Osiris," Sekhmet said with a bow.

"Good," the figure answered, "Take it to the artifacts chamber and place it with the Holy Grail. It will be needed to secure our ultimate invincibility."

"Yes my lord," Sekhmet answered.

**Egypt**

Demona erupted from the rubble of the pyramid in a great rage.

"Where is she?" Demona roared.

"Sekhmet has already left," the Sisters answered from behind her, "And she took the archeologist with her."

The Weird Sisters's answer brought Demona to her knees.

"I've failed," Demona muttered.

"And you've caused pain," the Sisters answered, "The transformation into one of Sekhmet's werelions is quite painful. Far more than your former nightly and daily transformations."

Demona only looked down at the sand beneath her. Luna stepped forward from her sisters and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Fear not, Demona," Luna said.

"There is a way to cure him, in time," Phoebe added, "We must catch him first."

"And remember that there is a time when you would not have even cared that a human was in suffering," Selene encouraged, "Even if you didn't cause it."

"The clan will not forgive me for this," Demona muttered, "This is worse than with those three girls and their dog."

"There is much they will not forgive you for," Selene said.

"And more that they will not trust you about," Luna added.

"But always remember that these are consequences that you will always have to deal with," Phoebe finished, "And they will be WORSE if you do nothing to reform."

Demona looked toward the east and sighed, "It will be dawn soon. I should find a safe place to sleep."

Demona eventually made it to another series of abandoned ruins of another old Ancient Egyptian palace and managed to duck herself into a position that would keep her hidden from tourists. She quietly stood facing east as the sun rose. As the rays of light reached her body, Demona felt her muscles and skin tighten and harden into stone for the first time in years.

Before stone sleep overcame her, Demona thought, "Now for my skin color."

**The End**


	4. Demons and Their Killers

All the characters appearing Gargoyles and Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles are copyrights of Buena Vista Television/The Walt Disney Company. The Unseelie Court belongs to the TGS. Characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel are property of Warner Bros. and created by Joss Whedon. All characters are being used without permission of their creators. No infringement of these copyrights is intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder. All original characters are property of SN.

Note: I'm disregarding the events in the "Goliath Chronicles", with the exception of "The Journey" because I do not wish to use the rest of the "Goliath Chronicles" as canon to my story. This story takes place three days after "On the Nile". This story also ignores the continuality in the Buffy/Angel universe. The events of Angel's 5th and Buffy's Final Season have already occurred in this story.

Demons and Their Killers

By SN/TVfan

Email: Sam_Nary

**Village in India**

People screamed wildly and ran in a desperate panic from a great creature that seemed to be parts of various animals. This monster had come into the village shortly before nightfall and had already killed and eaten several people. It smiled widely as it made its way through the streets of the village.

Meanwhile on a hill above the village, a woman with dark hair and mounted upon a large tiger looked down on the spectacle below her.

"It seems I have a new opponent to defeat," the woman mused to herself before urging the tiger to run toward the village.

Several miles away, as the sun set in the west, the human form of Demona broke free of her stone shell. She sighed heavily as she watched the stone fragments drop to her feet. Even with her magical powers she didn't have the physical strength to throw the stone off of her. The stone merely broke and fell off.

"Sleep well?" the Weird Sisters asked in unison.

Demona looked at the three fey and sighed, with a slight tone of annoyance, "Yes, it's the waking up that is bothering me."

"Strength and form will come later," Luna replied.

"Currently you have more pressing matters," Selene added.

"I know," Demona snarled, "I am to restore my skin color among other things."

Demona silently began walking toward a secluded spot to teleport herself to the nearest settlement. Hopefully there she could get a guide to a mystic temple that her fairly recently gained magical knowledge told her was her next target. Demona found herself looking at something quite different when her transformation spell ended. It was a massive 'creature' that looked like it was a mixture of several different animals.

The creature had a lion's head, but a long elephant's trunk was growing out of its nose and it had bull-like horns. It's left arm was essentially a large cobra while the other arm looked like a crocodile without legs or arms. Its chest and torso was covered in a leopard's spotted coat of fur while it stood on eight spider-like legs.

"Another of that Sekhmet's victims," Demona thought angrily.

This monster however, was truly a monster and served no purpose but its own. Once it noticed the redheaded woman standing near it, it turned and began to advance. Demona watched as the creature came closer and closer. Eventually she fired a lightning spell at the creature. The bolt knocked the creature to the ground and singed the fur on its chest, but it got up quickly and kept coming.

The monster was surprised to see a woman throw a bolt of lightning at him. Its own senses told it that Gods could do so, but not people.

"What are you the God of?" the creature demanded in a hoarse voice.

Demona was to stunned to answer. She had been called many things in the coarse of her life. Some where friendly that she had heard when Goliath was still hers. Then she was called 'friend', 'sister', 'love', and 'angel of the night'. Most that came after that were not so friendly. Then was called 'demon', 'monster', 'beast', 'Demona', 'witch', and 'The Demon'. Never in her long life had anyone compared her to a god.

"I'm no God," Demona answered, "To even think it would be blasphemous."

Demona then fired another lightning bolt at the creature. It moved much quicker than Demona thought it was capable of and was only winged the lightning bolt on its left shoulder.

The creature raised and pointed its left arm at Demona. Venom came spraying from the cobra mouth that served as the monster's left hand. The poison covered Demona's face and she screamed in pain as the venom burned her eyes. While Demona frantically tried to rub the venom out of her eyes, the monster grabbed her in the crocodile mouth that served as its right hand. Demona could feel her blood running down her sides and she flinched as she heard bones break.

"What are you, then?" the demon growled, "No human can throw lightning."

"Any wizard can," Demona snarled using her teleportation spell to remove herself from the creature's grasp.

Demona landed hard on the ground. She didn't focus on where she was teleporting to, so long as it was out of this creature's 'hand'. She landed a few feet away from the demon and was knocked out by a brick that her head landed on. As Demona drifted off into unconsciousness she heard approaching footsteps.

The dark haired woman watched the creature approach an unconscious redheaded woman and salivating heavily as it did so. She then encouraged the tiger she was riding to move forward and she also grabbed a long sword from its sheath on her back. She rode forward and with one swing sliced off the creature's crocodile arm. The monster roared with pain and turned its attention to the dark haired woman. This woman, the monster knew.

The woman than threw her sword at the creature. The blade, once it hit the creature embedded itself in the creature's chest. Soon after it slumped to the ground dead. The dark haired woman then looked at the unconscious woman that the creature had knocked out. A strange energy seemed to emanate from her. The woman dismounted her tiger and then placed the unconscious woman on the tiger's back, and lead her animal away.

Demona awoke very cold and alone. Once she opened her eyes she found she was in the entrance to a cave. Outside there were several snow capped mountains.

"Where am I?" Demona asked to herself, not knowing she said it out loud.

"You are in the Himalayan Mountains," said an unknown voice from behind her, "and you are in my home."

Demona turned around to see a dark haired woman standing behind her. She looked like a noble woman from the days of ancient India, long before people in England even knew India even existed.

"Who are you?" Demona asked, "Why do you live here?"

"Most in this region know me as Durga," the woman answered, "I live here because this location allows me to focus on locating demons and things of evil that threaten India."

Demona paused for a moment.

"You fight demons?" Demona asked.

"Yes," Durga answered, "The creature that attacked you in that village was a demon. It would have killed you, if not for me."

"You brought me here so that I could thank you?" Demona snarled.

Strong hands grabbed Demona by the back of her neck and held her in the air. Demona struggled, but could not break free or access her magic.

"I brought you here because you posses powers that you should not have," Durga said directly, "You are more than you appear to be."

"I know magic if that is what you mean," Demona answered.

"You posses more than any human I have seen," Durga replied, "Who are you? Why are you here? And most importantly, will any of your actions threaten my people?"

Demona sighed.

"My name is Demona," Demona answered, "I am here because I am seeking a temple that will help me undo something that was done to me by a very evil man. If your people stay out of my way they will not be harmed. I do not seek to endanger them."

Durga gasped at the name.

"The evil gargoyle," Durga said slowly.

"What?" Demona demanded.

Durga tightened her grip on Demona's neck, and said, "The name 'Demona' has been whispered through the wind throughout all the mystical circles. From the Christian God to the Hindu Gods and beyond. She is an evil gargoyle with blue skin, whose sole purpose is to destroy everything that is precious to the world. If you are the evil gargoyle I can not allow you to live."

"I'M NOT EVIL!" Demona screamed, "You don't understand!"

"Then explain yourself to me how the 'rumor' of the evil gargoyle was created," Durga commanded.

"Long ago in Scotland, I was indeed a gargoyle," Demona began, "Gargoyles never gave names to their hatchlings. I grew from a hatchling to an adult gargoyle with no name. I took the clan second as my mate and he eventually became leader, making me second in command. Life was good for me at first. But then the Vikings came. They besieged our castle for years on end. Our clan saved the humans from them every time, but the humans treated us as monsters and beasts. We received no justice for what we did. Eventually I took matters into my own hands and tried to win the castle for us and us alone. But my mate didn't decide to fight off all of the Vikings as I planed and the castle's bigoted Magus cursed the few that survived the Viking's massacre of my clan."

Demona looked out over the horizon and the mountains, before beginning again, "After that I left in search of a new life. I made an alliance with a man in the hopes of protecting my race from extinction, but he, turned out like all humans, a bigot and a murderer. I decided that if humanity would not be kind, then it should be subservient."

"From what I understand," Durga interrupted, "You wanted humanity's annihilation, not its enslavement."

"I was angry with the mistreatment that humans continually gave toward gargoyles," Demona said, "Killing them all, I'll admit now was wrong."

"Reacting out of anger in such a manor is unwise," Durga answered, "It cloud's one's judgement. Even if the acts you did were not out of evil, they were out of anger and I sense little guilt from you."

"I am trying to get over that," Demona responded, "If you kill me, that will never happen."

Durga then dropped Demona to the ground.

"Your promise of repentance is the only thing that has saved your life, Demona," Durga warned, "Now, how is it that you're human?"

"I made a mistake in helping a sorcerer known only as the Mage," Demona answered, "When I didn't do what he wanted in the way he wanted, he cursed me to remain in this human form, forever."

"The Mage is another being of evil that will die, should he endanger my people," Durga said.

"The Mage is dead," Demona answered, "I am currently trying to restore my true form, but I can't over power the Mage's spell with the magic I was taught. I've got to use bits and pieces of other types of magic. That is why I'm here. There is a temple that has a gem that will help me restore my skin color."

"A temple to Kali, I'd presume," Durga answered, "I can help you get to this temple, but you must aide my people to pay your part of the bargain."

Demona shook the goddess's hand.

**Another Small Village in India**

When Demona appeared in this village she found a far different sight. The streets were empty and there were no sounds to be heard. It unsettled her in comparison to the other village where people were running terrified and screaming.

"Where are we?" Demona asked looking around.

"We are at the location where the demons are coming into this world," Durga answered, "The demon that attacked you came from here."

Demona turned to the Hindu Goddess behind her only to come eye to eye with a very large tiger. The animal growled and bared its teeth at Demona. Even with her immortality, the former gargoyle couldn't help but cower in front of the super-sized tiger.

"Relax," Durga said, "Maha-Rajha will not harm you, unless I command him to."

"I'm sorry," Demona shrugged, "I've recently had a rather bad run-in with a big cat."

Demona silently remembered her recent altercation with the Unseelie, Sekhmet. She felt guilty for what the villain had done to the archeologist, Wedrington. She knew, however, that she could do nothing until she had undone what the Mage had done to her.

"Anyway," Durga said, changing the subject, "The demons are coming from this location. I have the power to kill them but not to close their door. You as a sorceress could do that job."

"That's the price you demand?" Demona asked, "I close the mystical gateway that these monsters are coming through?"

"Yes," Durga answered, "Then I will aide you in your own quest. I can keep he demons at bay while you cast your spell as well."

Demona nodded and then took a few steps forward. However, she didn't get very far as two demons that looked exactly like the one that had attacked her earlier appeared from two different huts. Demona raised her hands to cast a spell and knock the demons down but before she said anything the tiger flew over her, placing its paws on one of the demons. The demon screamed as the tiger killed it.

"Go to center hut!" Durga yelled, "That's where the gate is. I can kill these beasts easily! But you must close their entrance. Any sort of 'door closing' spell will do."

Demona ran off toward the center of the village. She was about to argue, but when the goddess grew a few extra arms and began hacking away with various swords and axes at the demons attacking her, she decided that Durga did not need any help with these demons.

Two came at her as she ran, but a quick lightning spell knocked them back long enough for Demona to make it to the center of the village. The hut that was there was destroyed completely.

The hut was not empty though. Rising from an energy ring in the floor was a demon that resembled all of the others, but more than three times as large. The beast roared and lowered its massive crocodile head-like hand toward Demona.

"Damn," Demona muttered as she dove away.

Demona quickly chanted in Latin, creating a binding spell, tying the demon's crocodile head-like hand shut. The great creature paused to look at its trapped hand.

"Goddess?" it growled.

"No, sorceress," Demona smirked, before launching a trio of lightning spells, knocking the monster off its feet.

Demona scrambled over to the now empty hut. Durga was right. The demons were moving through some sort of mystical gateway. These demons had somehow created a rift between their own world and the world they were now in. Demona was about to cast the spell that would close gate when the giant demon sprayed venom from hand that resembled a snake's head.

Demona managed to shield her eyes this time, but the blast of venom still forced her off the hut's 'foundation'. Demona glanced to see that Durga and her pet were still busy with many of the others, although she noted that there were several demon limbs laying on the ground. Demona then turned her head to the towering monster in front of her.

"I guess you're mine," Demona snarled.

Durga smiled inwardly as the demons made failed attempt after failed attempt to try and knock her off her mount. The venom sprayed from the 'snake-head hands' had only served to anger the tiger that she rode and several of these creatures were soon on the receiving end of a powerful swipe from the tiger's paws.

Durga finished beheading one of the demons with a sword and looked in Demona's direction. She saw the immortal sorceress engaged in a battle with a much larger version of the demons that Durga, herself, was fighting. Durga growled inwardly and urged her mount to leap over the other demons and then to charge the larger demon.

Demona tried a series of spells that robbed the demon of its balance and then hit with a simple magically created shockwave. The tactic knocked the monster to the ground and it was struggling to get to its feet when Demona heard a great roar echo over everything. Demona turned to see Durga riding her tiger toward the fallen demon. She watched as the tiger clawed at the demon and as Durga slashed at it with her various weapons.

"Close the gate," Durga yelled, "Eventually demons on the other side will come here to aide their comrades!"

Demona frantically scrambled back to the destroyed hut and began the to chant the spell that would keep other demons from joining their comrades in the battle. The spell was a simple one and Demona quickly finished it. As she pronounced the last word of the spell, a great shockwave threw the sorceress into the air. Only a well timed teleportation spell saved Demona from falling through one of the huts that wasn't destroyed.

The demons however were not pleased with Demona's success. The nearest one stretched out the 'snake-head hand' and gripped one of Demona's shoulders, the fangs of the 'hand' quickly began injecting venom.

"Dumb move," Demona growled, as she created a spell that raised her own body temperature to a degree that would have melted normal people.

The demon screamed with pain and released Demona, his 'hand' showing signs of several third degree burns. Demona then threw a series of lightning spells at the demon that attacked her. The impact of multiple bolts splintered the monster. Demona began to make her way toward the other onrushing demons and also noticed the effects of the previous one's venom. He purse was dropping and her legs were not responding to her commands.

"Damn," Demona muttered.

Demona knew that she wouldn't 'die' from the demon's venom, but she would be technically dead in a short time. The venom was processing quickly through her veins and arteries. She tried to turn one of the demons into a bazooka to save some of her energy, and while she was successful, Demona found herself even more exhausted by using her magic. The demon that was now the closest demon to her back handed Demona before she could reach her newly created weapon.

While Demona struggled to get back onto her feet, the demon managed to pick up the bazooka and fired it at her. The explosion threw Demona into the air, and without a thick gargoyle hide to protect her, had most of her stomach and upper chest blown away by the explosion.

"Now I know what it feels like to be on the receiving end of one of those things," Demona muttered as she blacked out in a pool of her own blood.

Durga heard the explosion, but only turned in time to see Demona slump to the ground. Many of the other demons began swarming around the unconscious body of the sorceress. As they began eating the body, Durga found herself becoming very angry.

Demona once again felt the sensation of stone falling off of her skin when she finally awoke again. Durga was sitting on her tiger nearby.

"That was quite a trick you pulled," Durga said, "Normally when someone gets their guts blown out they're dead and their soul will continue on to either its next reincarnation or to Vishnu."

"I suppose you want an explanation," Demona sighed.

"Yes," the Goddess answered.

"I was made immortal by three members of the Third Race, or Oberon's Children," Demona said, "They are called the Weird Sisters, and thanks to their interference, I can not die until I kill or am killed by the man named Macbeth."

"Interesting," Durga answered.

"What about all the demons?" Demona asked.

"I killed them," Durga answered in an almost bored manner, "It is my job to fight those evil monsters. I was not going to let anyone down."

"You'll help me now?" Demona asked.

"I do not see why not," Durga answered, "You helped me."

**Hidden Temple**

It was hours later when Demona shoved several vines that had grown over the entrance to a hidden temple that had been ignored for several millennia. Durga followed Demona into the temple slowly.

"This is a temple that was once used for the worshiping of the Goddess Kali," Durga explained, "I presume this temple is important to your spell because of Kali's skin color and the fact that her eyes are red like a female gargoyle's."

Demona nodded, "Yes, there should be a gem in the center of the temple that represents her power."

"There is more to life then power," Durga pointed out.

"I know that," Demona answered, "But I must be what I am. I am a gargoyle, not a human."

Demona and Durga then made their way further down the hallways of the abandoned temple. Demona's own magical skills could sense the gem's power and walked toward it, almost as if she were drawn to it.

When they reached the center of the temple, Demona peered into the room and saw the gem glowing with a bright blue light.

"This is as far as I may go," Durga announced before Demona went in, "Remember this on your journey. It isn't one's form that is important but the quality of the life that we live. You must live well in order gain what you want, and to help those you want to help."

Demona then watched as the Hindu Goddess turned and vanished into the temple walls and shrugged. Slowly she entered the chamber. The gem began glowing brighter and brighter as Demona got closer. Recalling the knowledge she had gained in her victory over Anansi, Demona began to chant in an ancient Indian language.

"Evil that exists in this world, and I must fight it," Demona said in this language that was foreign to her, "Gem of the floating Isle, give me the power of the demon killer. Give me the strength to endure your enemies."

Once Demona finished speaking, the gem erupted with a torrent of light. The beams of light that didn't strike Demona directly were reflected off of special stones in the temple walls and hit Demona from the other side. Demona found herself unable to speak as the light lifted her into the air above the gem.

Demona awoke several hours later. She found herself on the roof of the temple, and in a totally new condition. While she still had five human fingers, her skin was once again the same light blue color it had been before. Demona smiled.

Three voices then spoke behind her in unison, "It's about time you got up."

Demona turned to see the Weird Sisters floating behind her.

"Where have you been?" Demona demanded.

"Sightseeing," Selene answered.

Demona only growled, "Did you find anything that can help me deal with that Sekhmet woman?"

"No," Phoebe answered, "You should not seek out Sekhmet until your full gargoyle form is restored."

"He magical abilities far exceed yours," Selene added.

"And until you are a gargoyle once again and can offset magic with strength, Sekhmet's magic or her were-animals will find some way to capture you," Luna finished, "This is something we can not allow."

Demona didn't bother to ask, "Very well. Come on then, you three. We still need to work on restoring my form first."

**Illuminati Headquarters**

The Mage's ghost floated through the long hallways of the Illuminati Headquarters in a calm silence. One of the Illuminati Council suddenly appeared in the hallway.

"My liege," the Council member called out.

The Mage turned, "Yes?"

"The sorceress you wanted to train as an apprentice has nearly broken the spell that keeps her human," the Council member said nervously.

The eyes of the ancient sorcerer's ghost narrowed, "Is this true?"

"She recently activated the Gem of the floating Isle in India," the Council member said.

The ghost then muttered something under his breath and returned his gaze to the man before him.

"Send our best agents after her," the Mage's ghost commanded, "I want her captured and brought before me. Use the utmost caution. She is immortal and well versed in magic. I don't want dead Illuminati Members. I meanwhile, will check in on an old ally."

**To Be Continued...**


	5. Restoration

All the characters appearing Gargoyles and Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles are copyrights of Buena Vista Television/The Walt Disney Company. The Unseelie Court belongs to the TGS. Characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel are property of Warner Bros. and created by Joss Whedon. Characters and concepts from Star Trek are property of Paramount and created by Gene Roddenberry. All characters are being used without permission of their creators. No infringement of these copyrights is intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder. All original characters are property of SN.

Note: I'm disregarding the events in the "Goliath Chronicles", with the exception of "The Journey" because I do not wish to use the rest of the "Goliath Chronicles" as canon to my story. This story takes place one day after "Demons and Their Killers". This story also ignores the continuality in the Buffy/Angel universe. The events of Angel's 5th and Buffy's Final Season have already occurred in this story. Also, in references to Star Trek, I'm altering many of dates in which many of the Star Trek events happened, especially the early events (the Eugenics Wars and World War III). In my continuality Gene Roddenberry still made the Star Trek tv series and movies, and in the future (when the real Star Trek stuff is going on), Roddenberry is believed to be great prophet for accurately predicting what events would happen and the names of the Starfleet officers.

Restoration

By SN/TVfan

Email: **Sam_Nary **

**Tibet**

Demona struggled through thick snow that covered the small valleys in the high mountains of China's Tibet Provence. Even wrapped in magically created woolen clothes, the former gargoyle shivered with every step she took. Her newly restored sky blue skin was beginning to turn a darker shade of blue in the cold.

"Cold, Demona?" the Sisters teased behind her.

Demona glared angrily at the Weird Sisters behind her. The three fey quite easily used their powers to maintain their own body heat, a power that Demona couldn't quite figure out how to do without reducing herself to burned ashes.

"Yes," Demona growled, "But I'll survive this as I've survived everything. There is a temple here that was supposedly built in the first Chinese Year of the Dragon."

"Yes the mythic beast that most gargoyles supposedly worship," Selene answered.

"Don't all gargoyles worship the dragon?" Demona questioned angrily.

"No," Luna answered, "To our knowledge there was a clan in Rome that is strictly Christian."

"And there are others that follow other Gods," Phoebe finished.

Demona only sighed and continued to trudge through the snow. After another five minutes Demona found herself at the base of a near vertical rise. She could see the temple at the top of the mountain, and then saw that there were now foot or hand holds for her to climb up.

"I guess a moderate transportation spell is in order," Demona mused as she began chanting in Latin.

When Demona came out of her transportation spell she came across something she never expected to see. What stood before her was a large male gargoyle, which largely resembled a dragon. It had a large dragon-like muzzle and some black facial hair styled to look like two tentacles growing out of either side of its muzzle and a small well trimmed triangle on its lower jaw. It was generally a bright green in color, except for its lower jaw and belly, which was covered in yellow scales. It had large bat-like wings that were also green and yellow in color. This gargoyle was also dressed in altered versions of traditional ancient Chinese clothing.

The gargoyle then asked in perfect Chinese, "Are you okay, madam?"

Demona half worn down by the cold and half shocked to see gargoyle standing there barely muttered, "I'm cold," and collapsed into the gargoyle's arms.

Meanwhile, in what looked in a large military complex a few miles away, several robed Illuminati members scampered about to prepare to deal with the immortal 'gargoyle'.

"I do not see why I and my servants need to be here?" an angry voice growled.

"Lady Sekhmet," one Illuminati member answered back, "Demona is on the same power level as the Mage. Therefore, with the right training in magic and in her gargoyle form she will be practically unstoppable. Remember also that you are the Mage's ally in this endeavor. He demands that she remain human and therefore, you will help."

Sekhmet rubbed the head of a large lion like creature and growled again, "Demona is not of Madoc's concern."

"But she will be if the Mage's prophesy is not fulfilled," the Illuminati member growled back.

Suddenly two men wearing what looked like black spy gear entered.

"Ah," the Illuminati member smiled, "It appears our supermen have returned."

"I see nothing 'super' about them," Sekhmet snarled, "They are only human."

"They are naturally far smarter than normal humans, far faster than normal humans, and far stronger than normal humans," the Illuminati member answered, "In fact they can do almost anything a gargoyle can do. Anton Sevarius likes to pride himself on his ability as a geneticist, but he has to turn people into animals to accomplish only two of the attributes our supermen have."

One of the men stepped forward, and said, "Sir, our situation is dangerous. The 'gargoyle' known as Demona has reached the temple."

"Yes we must hurry," the other 'superman' added.

"Rally your men," the Illuminati member commanded, "We must attack as soon as possible, and you will be required to help, Sekhmet."

"I am only here to respect the alliance between my master and your ghost," Sekhmet snarled.

Demona heard faint voices as she began to wake up. She was silently thankful that her powers in magic allowed her to understand Chinese.

"Je Lu, you said she fainted?" one asked.

"She just appeared in front of me, said 'I'm cold' and fainted," the one identified as Je Lu answered.

Demona opened her eyes to see the dragon like gargoyle and a man in robes standing over her.

"Wha...Where am I?" Demona asked.

"Ah, you're awake," the robed man said, "I am Fang Shui, you are in a Buddhist temple in Tibet. May I ask who you are?"

"I'm called Demona," Demona answered and then turned her attention to the gargoyle, "And may I ask who you are?"

"I am Je Lu," the gargoyle answered, "I am the leader of the Tibetan Clan."

"You must forgive me, but I didn't know there was a gargoyle clan in Tibet," Demona said.

"We were originally from Beijing," Je Lu answered, "We existed there for many years, but when the Communists took over in the late forties they began persecuting us because we were supposed threats to their power."

"Accursed humans," Demona growled.

"No, just the Communists," Je Lu responded, "And what do you mean 'humans'? Aren't you human yourself?"

Demona sighed as she pulled the hood to her jacket, "No, I was hatched a gargoyle, like you, but a powerful wizard known as the Mage cursed me to be human. I've been slowly working to restore my true form."

"I'm not sure if we can help you, Demona," Je Lu sighed, "Our clan knows nothing of magic."

"And my monks know nothing of magic either," Fang Shui added, "And we are unfamiliar with this location. We only arrived at this temple shortly after the Communists invaded Tibet. We were originally trying to escape to India, but this temple was so well hidden and off the map that we literally had to walk into the door in order to find it."

"My clan and I knew of this temple only from ancient scrolls," Je Lu added.

"You needn't worry about that," Demona assured her hosts, "I know magic. I simply need to find an ancient dragon statue."

"That should be no trouble," Fang Shui said politely, "This temple was in perfect condition when we arrived. If you will follow me, I can show you several ancient dragon statues."

Sekhmet and her three werecreatures crouched outside the temple. The large male lion growled angrily at the situation. The two female cheetahs were quick to add their own concerns.

"I know, my servants," Sekhmet answered, "But Madoc made a promise to the Mage in support of the destruction of the Seelie Court. In doing so, we must do some things that are beneath us."

Sekhmet then turned their full attention her three werecreatures and said, "Now assume your anthromorphic forms. There are gargoyles in that temple."

On the other side of the mountain, twenty of the Illuminati supermen gathered around a rocky outcropping that was sticking out of a snow bank. All were dressed in black commando gear and armed with various weapons.

"The Illuminati desire this 'gargoyle' named Demona destroyed," the lead 'superman' said, "Thanks to our superior intelligence, we will be able to succeed. That Unseelie will provide the perfect distraction."

The other supermen nodded.

"Good," the lead superman said, "Now we will wait for that Unseelie to make her move."

**Inside the Temple**

"This room is our prayer room, the dragon statue that is here was here when we arrived," Fang Shui explained, "It isn't a Buddhist statue, but we felt t was important to preserve."

Demona sensed the magic emanating from the statue, "Intriguing."

Je Lu followed Fang Shui and Demona into the room. He did not say a word as Fang Shui explained the statue. Suddenly a female gargoyle, also resembling a Chinese Dragon but colored red and purple, came running into the room.

"Je Lu! Je Lu!" she yelled.

"Shi La!" Je Lu exclaimed, "What is it?"

"A lion woman, lion man, and two cheetah women are attacking the temple!" Shi La exclaimed.

"Sekhmet!" Demona exclaimed.

"You know her?" Je Lu asked.

"She is a fey and member of the Unseelie Court," Demona growled.

"Three women in western medieval dress have also teleported onto the temple's walls," Shi La added.

"Those are the Weird Sisters," Demona answered, "They should help you. You must go and defend your home. She is probably after me to prevent me from regaining my full gargoyle form! Although I wouldn't know why."

"We must defend our home," Je Lu answered as he and Shi La left the room.

Demona watched the two Tibetan gargoyles leave and then turned to Fang Shui, "Do you and your monks have a method of defending yourselves?"

"No," Fang Shui answered in a extremely nervous voice, "We have renounced all forms of violence for decades!"

"Do you have a method of escape?" Demona asked.

"No, the temple's sole defense is its obscurity," Fang Shui cried.

Demona sighed, "Then I have little time."

Meanwhile, over the temple's walls, the Weird Sisters gazed at the lone Unseelie that was attacking the hidden location.

"I guess there is something that suits Madoc's needs here, Oberon's errand girls," Sekhmet snarled as she leaped up the wall, with her werecreatures close behind her.

"We do not know what he would be looking for," Selene mused in an almost humorous tone.

"Your court has never beaten us before," Luna added.

"You will only end up as those who fought Oberon before you," Phoebe finished.

Sekhmet snarled and tried to sink her claws into Luna's throat, but the three Seelie Court members teleported out of reach and were now floating several feet in the air. Selene then noticed the large male werelion advancing on one of the Tibetan clan members.

"I believe Demona has something she wishes to do with that one," Selene commented, pointing at the male lion.

The other two members of the femme fey trio nodded in agreement.

"Come down here and fight!" Sekhmet roared from her position on the wall.

"We will fight only when the fight is fair and that the mortals are not in the way," the Sisters said in unison before chanting...

"_Werelion you give us quite a scare,_

_be trapped you now,_

_in your own hair!"_

As the Sisters finished their enchantment, the mane on the male lion grew far more wild then it ever had been before and somehow, began to tie itself in knots around the brick tiles of the temple wall. The werelion tried to escape from it's predicament, but every attempt was in vain and every attempt served to hurt it by pulling on its fur. One of the dragon like Tibetan gargoyles began to approach the trapped beast.

"NO!" the Sisters commanded erecting a force field around the werelion, "He is to be a test for Demona. He is to survive this fight."

Sekhmet glared at the trapped werelion, he was the pride of Sekhmet's earlier victory against Demona, and now the Weird Sisters had trapped him for some sort of 'test'. Even she couldn't find a way to break the Sisters's force field.

"You'll pay for that!" Sekhmet yelled, "Werecheetahs, kill those three."

The two cheetah's quickly kicked the gargoyles they were fighting and made great leaps to attack the Weird Sisters. The attacks, however, proved useless, as Selene on one side and Phoebe on the other deflected them off of force fields and sending them plummeting into the snowy valleys below the temple.

"Fortunately my distraction should be arriving soon," Sekhmet answered.

Meanwhile at the base of the temple's back wall the Illuminati supermen had arrived. The lead superman took what looked like a thief's glass cutter and fixed it to the temple's wall. The device then cut a large circular hole in the wall that was big enough for two men to enter at once.

"We are to proceed to the center of the building's upper levels," the supermen leader said, "And we are to proceed quietly. Kill any that get in your way, but do not make any noise."

"Yes sir," the supermen whispered.

Demona focused as hard as she could to center herself properly to begin the final spell she needed to regain her gargoyle form. It was not easy as she could hear the battle cries echoing in the night outside. She also felt the presence of Fang Shui, who had never left, and she swore that through magic she could sense others entering the temple, although Demona could not fully make out what they were.

"Is this a difficult spell?" Fang Shui asked.

"Not entirely," Demona answered in a slightly annoyed tone, "The key to it is concentration. I must summon the spirit of the Dragon, considered to be holy by most gargoyles in order to restore all that I need to restore in order to be a gargoyle. The Dragon, however, must be summoned correctly. I need to summon his power, not the actual being."

"Why not the actual being?" Fang Shui asked.

"My former clan had a legend about when the Dragon appeared before them and nearly destroyed everything out of rage," Demona answered.

"Sounds that this is not a good religion to follow," Fang Shui commented nervously.

"It is on a moral sense," Demona explained, "Traditional gargoyle religion believes that the Dragon is always busy with something important. While it has vowed to protect our race, it is not an errand boy and if it is summoned in person, it will become very angry, but if the clan were to face a serious struggle, the Dragon would come to their aide without being summoned."

"And all gargoyles worship this Dragon?" Fang Shui asked, "Je Lu and his clan seem to carry out the same Buddhist type rituals that my monks and I perform."

Demona's eyes flashed red for a moment, "I'm sorry to say that as time has gone by, many gargoyles have turned to other religions. To some extent, I may even number among them. This is the first real ceremony connected with the Dragon that I have performed since 980 AD."

Fang Shui looked puzzled.

"I will explain later," Demona sighed and returned to her concentration.

Je Lu and Shi La joined the rest of their clan against the attacking lion headed fey. Sekhmet was trading green colored energy blasts with the three women in Victorian dresses, who seemed to be floating in the air above them.

Sekhmet regarded these Chinese gargoyles as little more than a nuisance. The Weird Sisters were, for her, the far more important target. Sekhmet placed various force fields around herself to protect her from the dragon-like gargoyles's fists. The Unseelie furiously threw emerald balls of fire at the Weird Sisters, who to Sekhmet's surprise, merely deflected them with a twitch of their arms.

Inside the temple's basement the squad of Illuminati supermen continued to make their way up to the upper levels of the building. They had also killed three human monks who had come across their path.

Meanwhile at Demona' s position they eyes of the dragon statue began to glow. The former gargoyle smiled.

"What's going on?" Fang Shui asked nervously.

"The summoning has worked correctly," Demona announced, and soon began chanting in Chinese.

Once Demona finished the chant, light erupted from the statue, flooding the room and forcing Demona to her feet and Fang Shui to step back. As Demona was wrapped in the light, pain wracked her body as bones began reshaping themselves around her shoulder blades and at the base of her spine. Fang Shui meanwhile watched in horror as he saw the blue skinned woman, who called herself, Demona, grow two large pterodactyl-like wings from her back and a long snake like tail from her spine.

Demona screamed with pain as the last pieces that made her a gargoyle grew or shaped themselves on her body. By the time this was complete, the cries of pain had changed into a feral roar.

Once everything had calmed down, Demona looked herself over and smiled. Her azure talons were back. Her wings were back. Her tail was back. Demona quickly chanted something in Latin and was quickly back in her traditional gargoyle outfit.

"I'm me again," Demona smiled, "I'm me again!"

"Very good," came Luna's voice.

Demona turned to see the singular member of the Weird Sisters standing before her.

"What are you doing here?" Demona asked.

"Sekhmet is still attacking the temple, Demona," Luna answered, "She is far stronger than Phoebe, Selene, and I predicted. She can not defeat us, but it will difficult for us to defeat her. She has also made it impossible for Je Lu's clan to attack her physically. She has fortunately focused her attention on me and my sisters."

Demona's eyes blazed red and growled, "Sekhmet. I have a score to settle with her."

Demona then turned to Fang Shui and commanded, "Remain here."

Sekhmet was pleased with herself. One of the Weird Sisters had vanished, probably to warn Demona, the Illuminati's enemy. Sekhmet couldn't care less about the gargoyle sorceress. She was only interested in the two remaining Weird Sisters. Their power was much weaker without their third member. Suddenly, the other two disappeared from her sight.

"Cowards!" Sekhmet roared, "Return and face me!"

A bolt of lightning then flew from a door from the temple and knocked Sekhmet to the ground.

"The Weird Sisters have other matters to attend to," Demona answered as she stepped out of the temple, "They haven't left because they are afraid of you."

"I see you survived your sleep with the Pharaohs," Sekhmet growled.

"I ALWAYS survive," Demona growled back.

Two of the Tibetan clan began to advance of Sekhmet on two sides. Strangely, Demona stopped them.

"No," Demona interrupted their advance, "I sense the presence of other attackers in your temple.

Je Lu and Shi La exchanged looks and then commanded to his clan, "Brothers, Sisters. The Scottish gargoyle is more familiar with this villain. We will leave Sekhmet to her. We must protect our temple and the human monks."

The Tibetan gargoyles quickly departed into the temple while Demona lunged for Sekhmet. The Unseelie was off balance from Demona's magical bolt of lightning and was not ready for the blow that Demona delivered. Demona's punch launched Sekhmet off of the wall of the temple. As Sekhmet neared the ground however, she used her fey powers to easily move back up to a different point on the wall.

"Well it appears that the Illuminati's supermen didn't move fast enough," Sekhmet chuckled, "You've managed to restore your true form."

"Indeed I have," Demona growled, "And I am tired of you and the Illuminati trying to stop me. I am tired of you using innocents as pathways to get to me."

"Why should I worry about my tactics?" Sekhmet questioned, "And for that matter, who are YOU to judge? You have you used the same tactics over and over."

"I have tried to protect my race," Demona defended, "You're simply taking pleasure in killing."

"I do," Sekhmet smiled, "But genocide is genocide, Demona. Wiping out a race to defend another is just as genocidal as wiping out a race for the sheer pleasure of it."

Sekhmet then threw two emerald fire blasts at Demona. The immortal gargoyle successfully dodged them, but they destroyed the wall under her completely and left a serious crack in the ground.

"I will stop you," Demona growled.

"I'd love to see you try," Sekhmet teased.

Je Lu and his clan had just entered the central part of the temple when a gunshot was heard. When Je Lu looked at the others he was saddened to see that one of his clan brothers was shot. He lay on the ground with an obvious bullet hole in his head.

"He's dead!" Shi La gasped in shock as she inspected the body.

Je Lu growled angrily and turned his attention to eight or ten men, all armed with assault rifles and various other heavy equipment.

"Damn Communists," Je Lu growled at them as he leaped at the lead man.

The other man aimed their guns but the lead man gave a motion to his followers. The lead man swung his weapon on a leather strap to his back. Then, two Je Lu's surprise, the man caught the gargoyle in mid-air and then hurled him back at his clan. Je Lu collided with Shi La and the two gargoyles skidded back a further five feet. The rest of the Tibetan clan teased for battle.

"We are not the Communist oppressors you think we are," the man said, "And you are not quarry. Where is the 'gargoyle' Demona?"

"We will tell you nothing?" Shi La growled.

One of the men's gun's clicked and another shot was fired. Another of Je Lu's clan brothers fell dead. His now widowed mate leapt to her fallen love.

"She is fighting our other foes, while we fight you," the morning female raged and leaped at the leader of the men.

This time the man caught the gargoyle and snapped her neck in a single fluid-like motion. Je Lu and his remaining clan members watched in horror as these men advanced on them.

"Who... Who are you?" Je Lu gasped in fear.

"I am a soldier who seeks to stop a great evil," the man answered.

"Killing three of my clan is not exactly stopping evil," Je Lu responded defiantly.

"Your clan has allied with Demona," the man replied, "And she is the most evil gargoyle of all. If you didn't know this, then both of us were deceived," and then motioning to the situation around them, "and this is merely a great accident."

"I don't believe you," Shi La growled from her position.

"Believe it or not," the man answered calmly, "There is a golden colored statue here. A statue of a dragon. You will tell me its exact location, or I will kill what remains of your clan. And for us it is quite easy."

Outside, the battle between Sekhmet and Demona continued. Demona using the powers she had gained under the Mage's teaching managed to get close enough to Sekhmet to grab the lion-headed fey by her mane.

"You witch!" Sekhmet screamed, "You've got your gargoyle strength back. Fight fair."

"When you fight to win, there is no such thing as fighting fair," Demona smiled, "You, I believe, dropped a pyramid on me, last time we met."

Before Sekhmet could answer, Demona kneed the Unseelie in the gut. Demona's knee spur penetrated Sekhmet's side and bruised one of the fey's kidneys. Possessing no iron in the wound, Sekhmet easily recovered and healed.

Sekhmet snarled and threw her arms out, she quickly chanted out a new spell. Once the chant finished, the temple's walls seemed to come alive and grew hands and arms. Together they grabbed Demona and lifted her into the air.

"You should know, Demona, that anything I do is fair," Sekhmet informed, "I am a goddess."

Demona's eyes burned red at Sekhmet's line. Goddess indeed. She was a fey, pure and simple. Demona even sensed that Sekhmet was not a powerful as she leads everyone to believe. Knowing that her best chance was to keep the battle at close range, where neither Sekhmet nor Demona could use any serious spells. As the magically created stone arms began to try and crush Demona, Demona chanted quickly in Latin. Demona quickly produced one spell taught to her by the Mage. A force blast. It tired her extremely, but the stone arms were destroyed and Demona's wings caught her from falling.

Demona landed on the wall and created a iron dagger out of thin air with her magic.

"Now it's time to finish this," Demona growled as she leaped at the Unseelie.

Sekhmet deflected the punch Demona threw at her but missed the dagger that Demona swung around with her other hand. Sekhmet screamed with pain as the blade entered her side, and summoning all her strength, Sekhmet pulled the weapon out.

"You... haven't... seen... the... last... of... me," Sekhmet panted, and then upon finishing her threat, Sekhmet vanished.

"Good riddance," Demona muttered, as she looked around and noticed the unconscious male werelion.

"I suppose now it is your turn to be cured," Demona said, and then chanted in Latin while pointing at the animal.

The animal screamed as Demona's spell began killing the curse that trapped the human inside the lion's body. Fur, tail, claws, and teeth fell out leaving a sleeping and now shivering human named Dr. Wedrington lay on the temple wall.

"I better get you inside," Demona sighed.

Demona entered the temple with the unconscious Wedrington in her arms to find the Tibetan clan in a state of despair.

"What's going on?" Demona asked.

"You were right about someone else attacking the temple," Shi La answered.

"A squad of 'supermen' attacked us," Je Lu explained, "We've lost three of our clansmen and Fang Shui is checking to see how many of the monks have been killed."

Demona's eyes blazed red and she nearly dropped Wedrington, "Were are these humans?"

"Gone," Je Lu said, "And they destroyed the golden dragon statue."

That puzzled Demona, "Why would they attack after I've restored my gargoyle form and destroy the statue? I should have been their target."

"That is something we can not explain," Je Lu sighed.

"I lead them here," Demona sighed, "They should have come after me."

The Tibetan gargoyles didn't answer her.

"I'm sorry for all of this, it's all my fault," Demona said slowly.

"It is no one's fault for why this happened," Fang Shui interrupted as he and three other monks entered the room, "If any of us sink to blaming another of us for what has happened than we will be disrespectful to those who have died."

"I'm still sorry," Demona repeated, "I never intended for anyone to die in order for me to regain my true form."

"Will you remain for the funeral, then?" Shi La asked.

"I can not leave at least until Doctor Wedrington wakes up and until I figure out where the Weird Sisters went," Demona answered, "That will take time."

"We are asking you to attend the funeral of our honored dead," Je La said, "We are not forcing you out."

"I guess I could stay, yes," Demona sighed, "And once again I'm sorry."

"If it is necessary," Fang Shui replied, "We accept the apology."

**Illuminati Base**

"You arrived late?" a robed Illuminati member yelled at the returning supermen leader.

"Yes sir," the leader replied, "Sekhmet took her sweet time to create her diversion and she gave Demona the time she needed to restore her gargoyle form."

"The Mage will not be pleased with this," the robed Illuminati member growled.

"The 'Mage' is dead," the supermen leader argued, "What do you have to fear from him?"

"The Mage has a prophesy that he will arise again in a thousand years," the robed Illuminati answered.

"A thousand years is a long time," the supermen leader argued, "You could find away to defeat him."

"That is not our intention," the robed Illuminati member answered, "Well, at least I can report that our superman project is quite successful. I'll also admit that I'm not surprised that Sekhmet failed us. Madoc and his court is probably in more trouble than we are. What you supermen need is trained leader. One who is fit to command all our supermen."

"I feel I did an adequate job," the superman leader snorted.

"That you did," the robed Illuminati member answered, "But we bred you to follow direct orders. Your trained leader will have more intelligence and will be capable of reacting to problems in the field. Thankfully we are already producing the trained leader."

The robed Illuminati member walked over to a tank that had one lone occupant. A thick gel like substance easily hid the fact that the person inside was naked.

"Soon," the robed Illuminati member laughed evilly, "So you shall be awakened and you will lead the Illuminati armies to victory over all our enemies!"

The superman leader leaned forward to read the name plate one side of the tank. It read in clear letters : Khan Noonien Singh.

**The End?**


	6. Demona on Trial

All the characters appearing Gargoyles and Gargoyles: The Goliath Chronicles are copyrights of Buena Vista Television/The Walt Disney Company. The Unseelie Court belongs to the TGS. Characters from Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel are property of Warner Bros. and created by Joss Whedon. Characters and concepts from Star Trek are property of Paramount and created by Gene Roddenberry. All characters are being used without permission of their creators. No infringement of these copyrights is intended, and is not authorized by the copyright holder. All original characters are property of SN.

Note: I'm disregarding the events in the "Goliath Chronicles", with the exception of "The Journey" because I do not wish to use the rest of the "Goliath Chronicles" as canon to my story. This story takes place immediately after "Restoration". This story also ignores the continuality in the Buffy/Angel universe. The events of Angel's 5th and Buffy's Final Season have already occurred in this story. Also, in references to Star Trek, I'm altering many of dates in which many of the Star Trek events happened, especially the early events (the Eugenics Wars and World War III). In my continuality Gene Roddenberry still made the Star Trek tv series and movies, and in the future (when the real Star Trek stuff is going on), Roddenberry is believed to be great prophet for accurately predicting what events would happen and the names of the Starfleet officers.

Demona on Trial

By SN/TVfan

Email: **Sam_Nary **

**China, outside Tibet**

Demona walked slowly in the side ditch to a dirt road with Dr. Wedrington close behind her.

"So I guess you really are a gargoyle, Ms. Destine," Dr. Wedrington said in a voice that still conveyed surprise and a good deal of curiosity.

"Yes," Demona sighed, "But my name is Demona." Dominique Destine was an alias I used."

Dr. Wedrington looked at the sky-blue skinned gargoyle for a few moments and then asked, "Where are we going?"

"I'm going to take you to Japan, from there you can board a plane for England or Eygpt, wherever you wish to go," Demona answered, "Considering what the Tibetan clan had to go through with the Communists, I doubt they'd let an Englishman with no travel papers leave their country the 'legal' way."

"What about you?" Dr. Wedrington asked.

Demona turned and glanced back at the former Unseelie slave, "I intend to return to New York and try to protect my race."

"Was protection really your true goal?" came three eerie voices speaking in unison.

Demona and Dr. Wedrington turned to see the Weird Sisters materialize behind them.

"You do not have a clean slate, Demona," Selene began.

"Many have died where you have been," Luna added.

"And there has been little that you've done to protect anything," Phoebe finished as the sisters wrapped Demona and Dr. Wedrington in a flash of light, "We'll begin with the destruction of your clan."

**The Weird Sister's Trial**

The light faded to reveal the halls of Castle Wyvern. Demona, the Sisters, and Dr. Wedrington were standing in one of the few rooms that Princess Catherine allowed the gargoyles to enter, the soldier's armory. She saw herself standing in front of the castle's Captain of the Guard.

"Katherine is a fool!" the image of Demona yelled to the Captain, "A pubescent girl commanding an entire castle and its clan!? This was my clan's home before you even came here! You should bow to us! And that GIRL refuses to obey us and treat us like dirt! She has no respect for her elders and those with experience. I have an egg in the rookery! Who is she to command me?"

"She is the ruler of this castle," the Captain argued politely, "I agree with you that yer kind should not be treated this way..."

"THEN KILL THEM!" Demona roared.

"I cannae do that," the Captain protested, "To do so would be treasonous."

"My mate respects you as a member of my clan," Demona snarled, "If you let them treat us this way, then you will be betraying US! And for that, I'll kill you myself."

The Captain sighed and shook his head, "What would you suggest then?"

"Hakon and his Vikings," Demona answered, "He swore that they'd be back, and this castle's sole defense has been my clan. Your HUMAN soldiers are weak and want my clan to be their slaves."

"Hakon doesn't need our help," the Captain sighed, "He'll probably return closer to sunup then sundown next time and then strike when ye and yer clan will be asleep."

"I'll have the clan leave the castle, say to 'chase' Hakon away," Demona smiled evilly, "We'll be caught far away from the castle and then Hakon can come and kill every one inside my castle."

"Ye know that Katherine and possibly the Magus will be ransomed, and that Goliath will not necessarily take ALL of the gargoyles away," the Captain warned, "Hakon will kill all that stay at the castle and Katherine and the Magus will eventually return with an army."

"No they won't," Demona growled, "My clan will survive and I will lead it for all time."

"Goliath is the clan's leader," the Captain argued.

"I'M ITS TRUE LEADER! GOLIATH IS A FOOL AND DOESN'T DESERVE TO EVEN BE CALLED LEADER!" Demona yelled, "Now just get ready to deliver the deal to Hakon."

The Captain looked down and sulked out as Demona moved to head up to her perch.

"You see, the Captain warned you that your idea would work perfectly," Luna pointed out.

"You called yourself the leader of the clan when Goliath was the official leader," Selene added, "Hudson named Goliath his second and then leader, not you."

"Yet you betrayed your clan before they wee even destroyed by believing yourself to be leader and you bullied the Captain essentially surrendering the castle," Phoebe finished.

"Katherine treated us poorly and our clan struggled to keep alive, even with a full clan living there," Demona protested, "If my plan went perfectly the clan would have had the entire castle to ourselves. We would have been safe."

"Really?" The Sister's asked, as another flash of light enveloped them.

They appeared inside a cave far away from Wyvern. Hakon and the Captain stood before the tied bodies of Katherine and the Magus.

Hakon slowly looked at the two.

"We've created a reality in which your plan was followed out perfectly," the sisters said before Hakon began speaking.

"Mmmm," Hakon began, "The Magus is worth more alive than dead. Barely."

"True," the Captain pointed out, "But I'm sure your uncle, the King, will pay handsomely to see his niece returned alive."

"Very well," Hakon smiled, "You're free to return to your gargoyles. I'll take these two off for ransom."

"Oh, TRAITOR!" Katherine screamed, "I'll see ya both HANGED for this!"

"Don't vex me, Princess," Hakon snarled.

Demona and Dr. Wedrington then watched as time passed. The Captain returned to Castle Wyvern, while one week later, Katherine's Uncle, the King, paid the high ransom to get Katherine and the Magus back. Katherine, the King, and the Magus were now reviewing a large army, mostly the King's guardsmen.

"Hakon will be well back on his way to his homeland by now," the King noted, "Is this expedition really necessary?"

"The Captain of my Guard betrayed his castle to the Vikings, uncle," Katherine said angrily, "Half of the people that lived inside were killed and all of the young women who survived were raped. And every child that lived there died. The Captain MUST PAY!"

"What of the gargoyles that live there?" the King asked, "They are powerful warriors."

"They're monsters," Katherine shuddered.

"They are unnatural creatures, your Majesty," the Magus added, "The Captain was the only one of us to associate with them. I have no doubt they helped him in his treachery."

"Didn't your father..." the King began.

"I don't want to talk about it," Katherine said as she walked toward her horse.

Meanwhile, while the clan continued to live at Castle Wyvern, somewhat distressed that the Vikings had sacked the castle in their absence, the Captain of the Guard worked frantically to repair much of the damage done to the castle walls.

"Why do you keep doing this every night?" Demona asked from behind him.

"Because the Vikings ransomed Katherine and the Magus," the Captain answered, "I've run some daylight patrols, they and the King are gathering an army in the same area that the Vikings had earlier camped."

"You said they wouldn't return!" Demona protested.

"I told you they WOULD return," the Captain answered, "I don't know where your mind was."

A week later, Katherine's army attacked. The Captain's hard work kept them from knocking the walls down but with only one bow and a handful of arrows, the Scottish army quickly scaled the walls and opened the gates, letting the rest of the army in. The Captain quickly retreated to the top of the tower hoping to hold them off from there.

"The traitor has holed up on the gargoyle's tower," one soldier reported to Katherine, the Magus, and the King as they entered the castle's courtyard.

"Here's what I think of the gargoyles," the Magus yelled, "Fulmenos Venite!"

The lightning bolt struck the frozen in stone body of Lexington. The stone gargoyle exploded with the blow.

"Kill ALL the gargoyles and the traitor," Katherine ordered.

Demona and Dr. Wedrington watched as the Scottish army killed every gargoyle on the tower. As they approached the top, the sun set. Goliath and Demona awoke from their stonesleep to see the chaos. Demona immediately fled while Goliath was shocked to see his clan in ruins and to learn that the Captain was the betrayer that betrayed the castle.

"You see?" Selene prodded, "Your plan wasn't perfect. Katherine returned with an army as the Captain warned and your clan was destroyed. This time, in its entirity."

"I... I...," Demona stuttered.

"What you see is the truth," Luna said, "You betrayed the clan. Your actions caused their destruction. You blame others for making the plan fail."

"Now you see that your clan would have died even if your plan went according to every detail of your plan," Selene finished.

Demona said nothing. Dr. Wedrington looked confused at everything.

"But the decision to betray your clan wasn't the only betrayal you made," the sisters then said in unison.

The group appeared from the next flash of light at another scene that Demona remembered all to well.

'And as high king, I swear by the Stone of Destiny to protect Scotland and serve her people all my days.'

'Let this mark the beginning of a golden age between all our clans, both human and gargoyle. Humans will learn to respect you.'

'I would rather they feared me.'

'They'll do that, too, Demona.'

'Demona. I like the sound of that.'

'I hereby declare Demona my primary advisor.'

'Yay! Demona!'

"After Wyvern you moved on to betray Macbeth," Selene said.

"He named you his advisor," Luna stated.

"And when Canmore returned..." Phoebe began.

'What news of Demona?'

'The gargoyles have deserted.'

'No. This cannot be. Our whole defense was planned around their aid.'

Demona then watched her betrayal of Macbeth and the slaughter of her clan by Canmore's men and their English allies. She also saw most of the men that served in Macbeth's court be executed.

"Macbeth was correct when he said he would never betray you," Phoebe said.

"Yet you let yourself explode after hearing only part of a lower man's report and never waited for the king to make his decision," Luna added.

"And then you blamed Macbeth for what Canmore and his allies did," Selene finished.

Demona gasped in horror.

"You are the one responsible for the deaths you seek to avenge," the Sisters said in unison.

"But I heard him..." Demona began.

"That wasn't Macbeth," Luna said harshly.

"He was afraid for his own life," Selene added, "The English killed many Scotsman that fought against them and Canmore later killed those who supported Macbeth."

"You so quickly and readily jumped to vengeance that you doomed your own clan and Macbeth's kingdom," Phoebe finished.

Demona said nothing.

"Yet you involved yourself with humans again, to help kill them," the sisters then said in unison.

**Paris, 1791**

"Oh, this is miserable," King Louis XVI complained, "Not only have I lost power, but this new Assembly continues to do more to reduce what little I have left."

"Why let them?" Demona taunted the king from the shadows, "It is nothing but a mob of peasants. Your family has fled to Germany and Austria. Your wife is Austrian. Escape to them and they will help you. Many of your more 'normal' advisors agree."

"But the people are enraged over this issue," Louis XVI protested, "What if I'm caught?"

"Come now," Demona smiled, "You're the King of France. The greatest power on the continent. Even Great Britain would back down from your power if they found French troops on their soil. They can't win in a land war. They're only sailors."

"The British didn't cause this problem," Louis XVI began.

"The peasants did," Demona growled, "You are above them."

"Yes," Louis XVI nodded, "I suppose I am."

From their vantage point the current Demona, the Weird Sisters, and Doctor Wedrington then watched Demona help plan the King's escape route.

"Your hatred for humanity allowed you to cruelly inflame the greatest conflicts in history," Phoebe commented.

"Even if you were simply a royalist supporter, you know that helping the King go against his own country in such a situation is wrong," Luna added.

Demona looked down and didn't say anything.

"What's going on?" Doctor Wedrington asked.

"Watch," Selene instructed.

They then saw Demona flying low over the streets of Paris. The gargoyle made a quiet landing outside the Paris National Guard Headquarters. She discreetly knocked on the door. A gruff looking soldier answered it.

"I have news," Demona whispered, "The King and his family intend to flee. They don't believe in your revolution."

The man's face scowled, while Demona smiled inwardly.

"Let me in and I'll show you the exact route they intend to take," Demona answered.

"You helped make the French Revolution what it was in the hopes that mankind would whittle itself away in war," Luna accused, "Didn't you?"

"Didn't you?" Selene added.

"Didn't you?" Phoebe finished.

Demona looked down at her feet and barely nodded.

**1793**

The last images that Demona saw from the French Revolution was a scene from a French square. The looming frame of the guillotine stood in the center as Louis XVI, followed by his family, was laid on the horizontal board to have their heads cut of. Sitting on one of the buildings was the stone figure of Demona. Her lips drawn into an evil smile as what would become known as the Terror began.

"What did Louis XVI and his family have to do with gargoyles?" Phoebe asked.

"In fact when began to secretly advise them they openly asked for your help," Luna added.

"And you helped kill them," Selene finished.

"It could have still happened anyway," Demona protested.

"That doesn't change the fact that you helped in this instance," the Sisters responded in unison, "And your treachery didn't stop there."

**Moscow, 1918**

Vladimir Illyich Lenin paced angrily inside the fortress known as the Kremlin. White Russian soldiers were advancing toward Ekaterinberg, and while they weren't close, there was a great fear among the lower ranking soldiers that the Whites would liberate the Romanovs. On top of all this, soldiers from France, Great Britain, and the United States had seized various pieces of Soviet territory. Lenin was privately sure that they were there to at least rescue the Romanovs because of their blood relationship to the British monarchy. He then turned to the figure that stood in the shadows.

"Tell me comrade," Lenin said, "You've provided aide to me this far. What do you think should happen now?"

"Kill the Romanovs," Demona said slowly, "The Whites will lose their morale and the western soldiers have no idea why they're in Russia. You have the center of Russia at your disposal. The Whites are disorganized and broken up. Once they lose their morale, their strength will begin to wane as you move reinforcements that you need to the critical areas quickly."

"The executive committee agrees with you," Lenin observed.

"They're wise beyond their years," Demona smiled.

Demona then watched as time progressed. The Romanovs were shot to death. The Russian civil war dragged on until 1921 claiming millions more human lives.

"The French Revolution taught you one thing," Selene said angrily.

"That wars can bring you closer to your goal," Luna added.

"Humanity's destruction," Phoebe finished.

"But then you never focused to force these wars close together in time," the Sisters said in unison, "France's population recovered from its Revolution to be lead by Napoleon. Russia's population would recover from its Revolution, Joseph Stalin's purges, the Second World War."

"But humans always threaten gargoyles!" Demona protested.

The Sister blinded Demona with another flash of light. When they emerged Demona found herself in a more modern setting. She was once again on top of Castle Wyvern. The air smelled of smoke and was damaged by laser and bazooka fire. On the battlements lay a helpless Goliath with Demona standing above him, with a bazooka in her arms.

'I have a name, too, Goliath. The humans gave it to me long ago. You should know it before you die. I am Demona. Goodbye, Goliath.'

The present Demona watched as her past self prepared to fire a bazooka round straight at Goliath at point blank range. The only to be tackled by, the human, Elisa Maza, sending the shot flying off into one of the castle's towers.

"Humans aren't the only ones who have threatened gargoyles," Luna said coldly, "Unless that large purple thing you were prepared to kill wasn't a gargoyle."

"And isn't that woman with the black hair that saved Goliath, a human?" Selene asked.

"She isn't human anymore," was all Demona could use to argue.

"Yes, but her transformation was done by magic, it was not genetic," the Sisters answered, "There is nothing Elisa Maza's DNA that indicated that she should have been a gargoyle before the Mage transformed her. She was an average human until that time."

"How many other times has she fought to protect them?" Demona growled, quickly beginning to lose her temper, "She only saved Goliath because I was helping Xanatos at the time and she wanted to stop him."

The Weird Sisters only flicked their hands again to send them to another section of time.

When the light subsided, Demona and Dr. Wedrington found themselves watching Goliath battle with Oberon. The great gargoyle fought well, but it was not enough to even test the King of the Third Race.

'Now you're just quibbling.'

'My turn?'

'And that should take care of–Ooch. Good, very good. But not nearly good enough.'

'And so ends the hunt. Time to claim my prize.'

'The game is over. Your champions have lost.'

'Not yet, Lord Oberon. There's still one more play.'

'Stop this. Stop!'

'It's got a nice ring to it, doesn't it, my lord?'

'Stop, I pray you.'

'One more should pay for all–No, I'll kill no one on his knees.'

'Now the game is done, Lord Oberon. And now you will hear our terms. Give us asylum in your land, and we'll use the bell no more against you or your people. All we ask is to live here in peace.'

'What say you to this, lord of Avalon?'

'You could have obliterated me, and yet did not. Strange behavior for your breed. Such an example of generosity is worth rewarding. Stay then, with our blessing, all of you. And henceforth, Goliath, you and your clan shall be immune to my arts, and shall become the honor guard of Avalon from this day onward.'

"Maza wasn't involved in this," Demona snorted.

"She was," Selene answered, "She helped provide the iron needed to create the bell."

"But this proves that Elisa Maza wasn't the only human who has protected gargoyles," Phoebe added.

"Indeed, the girl you called a pubescent fool guarded your clan's eggs until they hatched and here helped save Goliath from certain death," Luna finished.

"And there is another instance of humans helping gargoyles," the Sisters then said in unison.

When Demona could see again she was perplexed by what she saw. She was in the old 23rd Precinct clock tower. Angela lay unconscious on the wood floor with the clan gathered around her and the human Elisa Maza kneeling over her. Demona's first response was to lunge forward, thinking that the Maza woman had attacked her daughter. She only stopped when she remembered that the Weird Sisters were showing her images of the past. She then studied Elisa's actions. The woman in an organized pattern moved from compressing Angela's chest to forcing air into her lungs.

'Give me room.'

'One. Two. Three. Four. One. Two. Three. Four. One. Two. Three.'

'Aw, she did it. All right, I was so worried.'

'Angela. You're alive.'

'Angela.'

'This is a miracle.'

'She lives, thanks to you.'

'CPR, the gift that keeps on giving.'

"Maza saved my daughter?" Demona asked.

"She did," Luna answered, "She rushed to your daughter's aid as soon as she found her like that."

"How?" Demona managed to say.

"She was earlier attacked by the Hunters," the Sisters answered, "Hunters who wouldn't have bothered to even hunt gargoyles if you hadn't scratched a kid across the face for defending his barn. And they only attacked her because the thought that Angela was YOU from where they were."

Demona closed her eyes deep in thought. She remembered the last talks she had while imprisoned in Wyvern's dungeon. Goliath, Elisa, and Puck all trying to tell her that her life was completely wrong. Now on top of that the Weird Sisters had brought her to trial over her past. Her mind found itself troubled with the information that her clan would have died in its entirety if her plan had succeeded because Katherine would later return. She felt defeated by the showing of her aiming a bazooka at Goliath's head. Strangely, she also felt embarrassed by Dr. Wedrington seeing the other events in her past. Her betrayal of Macbeth. Her secret betrayal of Louis XVI to dissolve France into a war that would destroy the country. Her aide to Lenin to expand the war between White and Red Russians into a renewed war between Russia and the western powers.

"You can't change the past," Demona answered.

"We aren't wanting you to try," Phoebe answered.

"We were trying to show you what you were actually protecting," Selene added.

"In most cases it was yourself," Luna answered, "And in others, there wasn't anything."

Before Demona could change, the Sisters snapped their fingers and Demona found herself in a large courtroom. Dr. Wedrington was dropped into the jury box while the sisters hovered over the judge's seat.

"What's going on?" Demona asked.

"You're on trial," the Sisters answered, "We preside and Mr. Wedrington is the jury."

"What's your game?" Demona demanded.

"When you left Manhattan you wished to restore your gargoyle form," Luna answered.

"Yet a gargoyle is more than its wings and fangs," Selene added.

"Get to the point," Demona growled.

"Your race instinctively is a race of protects," Phoebe said calmly.

"We have already proven that you have not protected anything besides yourself," Selene added.

"I've tried to protect my race," Demona protested.

"Tried and failed using faulty methods," the Sisters answered in unison.

Demona looked down and sighed, "Very well, what do you suggest I should do."

"Tell the court, honestly, Demona what you thought of humans a year or so ago," Luna instructed.

Demona looked down, "I thought they were nothing more than a plague on the earth that deserved nothing but destruction."

Dr. Wedrington gasped from his seat.

"Has that opinion changed?" Selene asked.

"I don't know," Demona sighed.

"What is your current opinion of humans?" Phoebe asked.

Demona paused for a moment and began pacing her portion of the courtroom.

"I don't know," Demona said slowly, "I beginning to find it hard to want to destroy them if that is what you're asking. Maza protected Goliath from both Xanatos and... and me. Katherine helped save Goliath from Oberon."

"What of the humans you've met on your own journey?" the Sisters asked.

Demona thought back carefully. She first thought of the group of demon fighters in Los Angeles that had saved her from that insane vampire. She cursed inwardly that if the Sisters hadn't put a clamp on her powers over sorcery she could have dealt with her easily, but she realized that they helped her, even after they learned who she really was. In fact, if it hadn't been for them, Demona doubted that she would have been able to get her gargoyle form back. Their tip lead her to Africa.

The thought of Africa reminded her of the two humans that were trying to save the endangered species in the region. They didn't help her directly, but they offered to help her in her battle against Anansi. Something that her mind had decided that no human ever did. Remembering the part of her journey in Africa also reminded her of her one big mistake that she made on that continent.

She inwardly shuddered at the memory of her first encounter with Sekhmet and how she delivered Dr. Wedrington into the Unseelie's waiting claws. Demona had used Wedrington as a tool to get to the first real piece of the puzzle to becoming a gargoyle again, and while she didn't feel any degree of kindness, she didn't want that female lion to do what she did. Demona winced inwardly as she looked at the restored Dr. Wedrington who may have never been harmed if she'd been slightly more patient and much less temperamental.

She didn't know what to think on India. There while she was helped by someone who looked like a human, the woman said she was a goddess. Demona's strength in magic allowed her to confirm that Durga was the actual name of a Hindu goddess. Although the meeting was somewhat confusing. Many members of the Third Race also claimed to be gods in one way or another. But, Durga helped her, and according to legend, she helped protect the Indian people from various demonic threats. Demona was sure she didn't want to end up in a fight with her.

Then there was China. There she restored her physical form and was able to get over some of her earlier guilt by defeating Sekhmet, although the Unseelie had escaped. In the process of her victory she had restored Dr. Wedrington to human form and learned of something she had denied was even possible. A group of humans and a clan of gargoyles living in peace and harmony together. Although there was little that the Buddhist monks could have done, since Demona learned that they had renounced violence altogether when Sekhmet and a bunch of Illuminati supermen.

This thought then raised a question in her own mind, "What if Goliath is right and that we can live together?"

"Then you and your race will survive," Phoebe answered.

"The question is," Luna added.

"Do you now trust humans enough to endure the problems that will occur in the time it takes to get all of humanity to accept your race?" Selene finished.

"What problems?" Demona growled.

"If I may," Dr. Wedrington spoke up from his spot, "Ms. Demona..."

"Just Demona," Demona corrected.

"Demona, nothing in life is easy," Dr. Wedrington said politely, "From what I've seen here, it appears that you've suffered a lot. It's traumatized you to an extent that you'd do anything, even if it meant wiping out humanity to protect your race. The problem is that violence will only beget more violence. That's why World War I was followed by World War II and the Cold War. The first war was such a traumatic experience for those who lived through it that they felt that their nation or race needed something to justify the war. And that's where people like Hitler, Mussolini, Tojo, and Stalin came from. You have nations that either lost the first war or didn't get everything they wanted, and then nuts like them start another war to try and get them. For you the slaughter of your clan was that traumatic experience. You then reacted out of this trauma and traumatized others."

"What's your point?" Demona asked.

"Life is never easy, the human race will fear you because you appear to be something that is instinctively evil," Dr. Wedrington began.

"That is another example of human foolishness," Demona growled.

"It will take time and people must get used to you," Dr. Wedrington finished, "Fear is a powerful emotion, but something that reacts out of fear can be extremely dangerous. You must show humanity that they have no reason to fear you, or you will only continue of traumatizing those who will come back to hunt you later because of that trauma and their own fear of you."

"He's right, Demona," the Sisters answered, "If you truly wish to protect your race, than you must cease your attacks on the human race. They will only cause them to demand revenge."

"I don't think I can get revenge," Demona sighed, "Not any more."

"That is good," Selene answered.

"There's now the question of what are you going to do," Phoebe said.

"Protect or ignore?" Luna asked, "What is your purpose."

"I must protect my race," Demona said finally.

"I'd be quite willing to help if you want it," Dr. Wedrington offered.

"You?" Demona asked.

"You said that gargoyles turn to stone during the day," Dr. Wedrington replied, "You'll need someone there to watch you while you sleep."

"I'm immortal," Demona answered, "I do not require a daytime guardian."

Demona then paused, "But I suppose, if you are serious about protecting gargoyles, it wouldn't hurt to have you along."

The Weird Sisters smiled, "We will hold you both to your promise."

Demona turned to say something to the Sisters, but they vanished and Demona and Doctor Wedrington appeared on the roof of a Tokyo business office.

"I didn't promise anything!" Demona protested.

"Those three are weird," Dr. Wedrington commented off hand.

"You don't know the half of it," Demona sighed.

**The End**


End file.
